crash

Noun

crash (plural crashes)

1. An automobile, airplane, or other vehicle accident.

   She broke two bones in her body in a car crash.

   Nobody survived the plane crash

2. A computer malfunction that is caused by faulty software, and makes the system either partially or totally inoperable.

   My computer had a crash so I had to reboot it.

3. A loud sound as made for example by cymbals.

   The piece ended in a crescendo, building up to a crash of cymbals.

4. A sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures)

   the stock market crash

5. A comedown of a drug.
6. A group of rhinoceroses.
   • p. 1991, Patrick F. McManus, “Nincompoopery and Other Group Terms”, in The Grasshopper Trap, Henry Holt and Company, →ISBN, page 103,

     One of my favorites among the terms of groups of creatures is a crash of rhinoceros. I can imagine an African guide saying to his client, “Shoot, dammit, shoot! Here comes the whole bloody crash of rhinoceros!”

     […] Personally, I think I’d just as soon come across a crash of rhinoceros as a knot of toad.

   • 1998, E. Melanie Watt, Black Rhinos, page 19

     The largest group of black rhinos reported was made up of 13 individuals. A group of rhinos is called a crash.

   • 1999, Edward Osborne Wilson, The Diversity of Life, page 126

     Out in the water a crash of rhinoceros-like animals browse belly deep through a bed of aquatic plants.

   • 2003, Claude Herve-Bazin, Judith Farr Kenya and Tanzania, page 23

     The crash of rhinoceros at Tsavo now numbers almost 200.

7. dysphoria

Adjective

crash (not comparable)

1. quick, fast, intensive, impromptu

   crash course

   crash diet

Verb

crash (third-person singular simple present crashes, present participle crashing, simple past and past participle crashed)

1. (transitive) To collide with something destructively, fall or come down violently.
2. (transitive) To severely damage or destroy something by causing it to collide with something else.

   I'm sorry for crashing the bike into a wall. I'll pay for repairs.

3. (transitive, slang) (via gatecrash) To attend a social event without invitation, usually with unfavorable intentions.

   We weren't invited to the party so we decided to crash it.

4. (transitive, management) To accelerate a project or a task or its schedule by devoting more resources to it.
   • 2008, Rick A. Morris; Brette McWhorter Sember, Project management that works, page 109:

     Using the project plan, the team started to work out different scenarios to crash the schedule and bring the date to the regulatory deadline.

5. (intransitive, slang) To make or experience informal temporary living arrangements.

   Hey dude, can I crash at your pad?

6. (slang) To give, as a favor.
   • 2005, Charlie Williams, Fags and Lager, page 29:

     'I been pissin' blood,' he said, grinning. Then frowning. 'Crash us a tenner, eh?'

   • 2014, David Mitchell, The Bone Clocks, →ISBN, page 99:

     Crash us a cancer stick, Fitz: I could bloody murder a fag, as I delight in telling Americans

   • 2015, Lucy Diamond, Summer at Shell Cottage, →ISBN:

     'I'll show you what needs doing. But first..." She hesitated. 'I don't suppose you could crash me a ciggy, while you're here, could you?'

7. (slang) To lie down for a long rest, sleep or nap, as from tiredness or exhaustion.
8. (computing, software, intransitive) To terminate extraordinarily.

   If the system crashes again, we'll have it fixed in the computer shop.

9. (computing, software, transitive) To cause to terminate extraordinarily.

   Double-clicking this icon crashes the desktop.

10. (intransitive) To experience a period of depression and/or lethargy after a period of euphoria, as after the euphoric effect of a psychotropic drug has dissipated.
11. (transitive) To hit or strike with force
    • 2016 June 11, Phil McNulty, “England 1-1 Russia”, in BBC Sport‎:

      Roy Hodgson's side were dominant and fully merited the lead given to them when Eric Dier crashed a 20-yard free-kick high past keeper Igor Akinfeev with 17 minutes left.

12. (medicine, of a patient's condition) To take a sudden and severe turn for the worse; to rapidly deteriorate.

Noun

crash (uncountable)

1. (fibre) Plain linen.

Derived terms

• crasher