ENGLISH
REFERENCE

crash

n. · v. · adj.
US //ˈkɹæʃ// UK //kɹˈæʃ// crash
  1. 1 a vehicle accident (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    an accident where a vehicle hits something else.

    a violent collision involving one or more vehicles, such as cars, planes, or trains.

    Example

    The driver was lucky to walk away from the car crash without any injuries.

    Example

    Emergency services arrived at the scene of the multi-car crash within minutes to assist those trapped in the wreckage.
  2. 2 a loud noise (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a sudden, very loud sound like something breaking or hitting the floor.

    a sudden, loud, and resonant sound, typically produced by a physical impact or the clashing of objects.

    Example

    We heard a loud crash in the kitchen and found a broken plate on the floor.

    Example

    A sudden crash of thunder startled the hikers, signaling that the storm was much closer than they had anticipated.
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  1. 3 computer failure (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Computing

    when a computer or a program suddenly stops working.

    a sudden failure of a software application or operating system that causes it to cease functioning.

    Example

    I lost all my unsaved work because of a sudden system crash.

    Example

    The server crash was attributed to a memory leak that had gone undetected during the initial beta testing phase.
  2. 4 economic drop (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Finance

    a sudden and dangerous drop in the value of a market or business.

    a sudden and significant decline in the value of stocks or the overall economy.

    Example

    Many people lost their savings during the stock market crash.

    Example

    Economists warned that the housing bubble might lead to a market crash similar to the one experienced a decade ago.
  3. 5 to hit something (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to hit something hard by accident, often causing damage.

    to collide violently with an obstacle or another moving object. Often used intransitively with 'into'.

    Example

    The waves crashed against the rocks all night long.

    Example

    The stolen vehicle eventually crashed into a concrete barrier after a high-speed pursuit through the city centre.
  4. 6 to sleep somewhere (v.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal

    to sleep somewhere quickly because you are very tired, or to stay at a friend's house for the night.

    to go to sleep, often suddenly due to exhaustion, or to stay temporarily at a place not one's own.

    Example

    I was so tired after the flight that I crashed on the sofa for three hours.

    Example

    Since it was already past midnight, my friend let me crash at his apartment instead of driving home.
  5. 7 to join without an invite (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    to go to a party or event when you were not invited.

    to attend a social gathering or event without an invitation or prior permission.

    Example

    We didn't have tickets, but we managed to crash the wedding reception.

    Example

    Several uninvited guests tried to crash the private gallery opening, but security turned them away at the door.
  6. 8 very fast and intensive (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    done very quickly and with a lot of effort to learn something in a short time.

    characterised by an intensive and rapid effort to achieve a goal or learn a skill.

    Example

    I took a crash course in Italian before my trip to Rome.

    Example

    The team underwent a crash training program to familiarise themselves with the new software before the official launch date.
Etymology 1

From Middle English crasshen, crasschen, craschen (“to break into pieces”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from a variant of earlier crasken, from crasen (“to break”) + -k (formative suffix); or from earlier craskien, *craksien, a variant of craken (“to crack, break open”) (for form development compare break, brask, brash).

Etymology 2

Uncertain; perhaps compare Russian крашени́на (krašenína, “coarse linen”).

Idioms2 entries

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