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crash
/kræʃ/
a sudden violent collision or collapse
The car crashed into a tree after losing control.
The car violently collided with a tree because the driver lost control.
general
a violent collision between vehicles or objects
The two trains crashed at the intersection.
The two trains collided violently at the intersection.
Often used in accidents involving vehicles or machinery.
Finance
Finance
a sudden and severe economic downturn
The stock market crash of 1929 led to the Great Depression.
The severe economic downturn in the stock market in 1929 caused the Great Depression.
Commonly used in financial contexts to describe market failures.
Technology
Technology
to cause a computer or system to stop working suddenly
The new software update crashed my computer.
The new software update caused my computer to stop working suddenly.
In computing, refers to a system failure or program termination.
informal
to stay at someone's house without planning to
After the party, we crashed at John's place.
After the party, we stayed at John's house without planning to.
Informal usage, often implying an unplanned or spontaneous stay.
Collocations
crash coursea short, intensive period of learningcrash dieta strict diet to lose weight quicklycrash landingan emergency landing of an aircraft
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Context Matters
The meaning of 'crash' varies widely depending on the context. Pay attention to whether it's used in a physical, financial, or technological sense.
Gold Rule
Avoid Ambiguity
When using 'crash' in writing, specify the context to avoid confusion (e.g., 'market crash' vs. 'car crash').
Word Origin
From Middle English 'craschen' (to break), possibly from Old Norse 'krasa' (to crack).
Usage Notes
The word 'crash' is highly versatile and can refer to physical collisions, economic failures, or technical malfunctions. Context is crucial for determining the correct meaning.
Word Breakdown
crash
to break or collapse violently
rootEnglish Dictionary