squash
1 of 4verb
ˈskwäsh 
ˈskwȯsh
squashed; squashing; squashes
transitive verb
1
: to press or beat into a pulp or a flat mass : crush
2
: put down, suppress
squash a revolt
intransitive verb
1
: to flatten out under pressure or impact
2
: to proceed with a splashing or squelching sound
squash through the mud
3
: squeeze, press
squasher noun
squash
2 of 4noun (1)
1
obsolete : something soft and easily crushed
specifically : an unripe pod of peas
2
: the sudden fall of a heavy soft body or the sound of such a fall
3
: squelch sense 1
4
: a crushed mass
5
British : sweetened citrus fruit juice often served with added soda water
6
: a singles or doubles game played in a 4-wall court with a long-handled racket and a rubber ball that can be hit off any number of walls
squash
3 of 4adverb
: with a squash or a squashing sound
squash
4 of 4noun (2)
plural squashes or squash
: any of various fruits of plants (genus Cucurbita) of the gourd family widely cultivated as vegetables
also : a plant and especially a vine that bears squashes compare summer squash, winter squash
Synonyms
Verb
- crush
- mash
- pulp
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb He squashed his nose against the window. His poor performance squashed any hope he had of a promotion. The boss squashed my idea immediately. Someone had squashed all the ribbons together in one box.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
alteration of Middle English squachen to crush, annul, from Anglo-French esquacher, from Old French es- ex- + quachier to hide from view, from Vulgar Latin *coacticare to press together — more at cache
Noun (2)
by shortening & alteration from earlier isquoutersquash, from Narragansett askútasquash
First Known Use
Verb
1565, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (1)
1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adverb
1766, in the meaning defined above
Noun (2)
1634, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing squash
Kids Definition
squash 1 of 2
verb
ˈskwäsh
squashed; squashing
: to beat or press into a soft or flat mass : crush
squash
2 of 2noun
: the fruit of a plant related to the gourd that comes in many varieties and is usually eaten as a vegetable
Medical Definition
squash
noun
ˈskwäsh, ˈskwȯsh
: a bit of tissue crushed between a slide and cover glass and stained in situ especially for cytological study of chromosomes
squashes
verb
1
as in mashes
to cause to become a pulpy mass the sort of person who couldn't even squash a bug Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- mashes
- crushes
- squeezes
- pulps
- presses
- beats
- pounds
- pulverizes
- powders
2
as in quells
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force squashed any effort to reform the country's power structure Synonyms & Similar Words
- quells
- suppresses
- subdues
- crushes
- quashes
- squelches
- represses
- silences
- destroys
- stifles
- extinguishes
- overcomes
- sits on
- demolishes
- throttles
- slaps down
- clamps down (on)
- smothers
- cracks down (on)
- decimates
- smashes
- annihilates
- snuffs (out)
- obliterates
- wastes
- exterminates
- strangles
- puts down
- vanquishes
- wrecks
- ruins
- conquers
- douses
- quenches
- dominates
- subjugates
- nukes
- overwhelms
- desolates
- dowses
- wipes out
- overpowers
- devastates
- rubs out
- puts out
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- supports
- backs
- aids
- helps
- assists
- abets
- provokes
- stirs
- incites
- foments
- promotes
- instigates
- encourages
- cultivates
- nurtures
- nourishes
- whips (up)
- advances
- fosters
- forwards
- furthers
- props up