French Conversation · Level 45
75 words
French word
écraser
Pronunciation
IPA/ekʁaze/
Meaning
- verbsquash
Example
N'écrase pas les tomates.
Don't squash the tomatoes.
More examples
Il a écrasé sa cigarette sur le bord du trottoir.
He stubbed out his cigarette on the edge of the sidewalk.
Core concept
Pressure collapses an object's shape and can metaphorically crush resistance or an opponent.
Common phrases
écraser une cigarette
stub out a cigarette
écraser un insecte
crush an insect
écraser une équipe
crush a team
Similar words
presser: To press something so that it becomes smaller or more compact.
aplatir: To flatten something by pressing it until it loses thickness.
broyer: To crush or grind something into small pieces.
piétiner: To crush something by trampling on it.
Definition in French
Appliquer une pression ou un poids suffisant pour aplatir, déformer ou réduire la forme d'un objet; s'emploie aussi au sens figuré pour signifier dominer ou vaincre complètement.
Word origin
The modern verb developed from Old French escraser, which was used for forcefully crushing or flattening something.
Usage tips
- Écraser une cigarette means to stub out a cigarette, a common usage that refers to extinguishing it by crushing it.