bash in
phr. v..phr. v.. to hit something very hard so that it breaks or bends inward.
phr. v.. to strike a surface with significant force, resulting in structural damage, indentation, or collapse; typically transitive.
The thief tried to bash in the car door.
The firefighters had to bash in the front door to reach the family trapped inside the burning house.
The ancient shield was found in the mud, its bronze surface bashed in by what appeared to be a heavy mace from a forgotten battle.
usually describes physical damage to a hollow or flat object like a door, a box, or a skull.
contrast with 'smash', which implies breaking into many pieces; 'bash in' specifically suggests the object is pushed inward by the force.
He bashed the window in pieces.He bashed the window in.the particle 'in' describes the direction of the damage, not the resulting fragments; use 'to pieces' with 'smash' instead.