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
squashing
verb
1
as in crushing
to cause to become a pulpy mass the sort of person who couldn't even squash a bug Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- crushing
- mashing
- squeezing
- pressing
- pulping
- beating
- pounding
- pulverizing
- powdering
2
as in suppressing
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force squashed any effort to reform the country's power structure Synonyms & Similar Words
- suppressing
- quelling
- subduing
- crushing
- repressing
- quashing
- squelching
- silencing
- destroying
- stifling
- overcoming
- extinguishing
- sitting on
- demolishing
- throttling
- strangling
- slapping down
- decimating
- wrecking
- smothering
- clamping down (on)
- smashing
- obliterating
- cracking down (on)
- annihilating
- ruining
- putting down
- exterminating
- dousing
- quenching
- conquering
- wasting
- nuking
- snuffing (out)
- dominating
- subjugating
- vanquishing
- devastating
- overwhelming
- wiping out
- overpowering
- desolating
- putting out
- dowsing
- rubbing out
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- supporting
- assisting
- aiding
- helping
- backing
- abetting
- stirring
- inciting
- fomenting
- provoking
- instigating
- promoting
- advancing
- cultivating
- fostering
- encouraging
- furthering
- whipping (up)
- nurturing
- forwarding
- propping up
- nourishing
- give (someone) a rollicking
- give (someone) a run for his/her/your/their money
- give (someone) a shout
- give (someone) a spanking
- give (someone) a wink
- give (someone) a yell
- give (someone) an eyeful
- give (someone) gyp
- give (someone) hell
- give (someone) holy hell
- give (someone) one's word
- give (someone) pause
- give (someone) pause for thought
- give (someone) the ax
- give (someone) the bird
- give (someone) the chop
- give (someone) the elbow
- give (someone) the eye
- give (someone) the finger
- give (someone) the hook
- give (someone) the pink slip
- give (someone) the push
- give (someone) the runaround
- give (someone) the sack
- give (someone) the shirt off one's back