smæʃ v., n., & adv. --v. 1 tr. & intr. (often foll. by up) a break
into pieces;
shatter. b
bring or
come to
sudden or
complete destruction,
defeat, or
disaster. 2 tr. (foll. by into, through) (of a
vehicle etc.)
move with great force
and impact. 3 tr. & intr. (foll. by in) break in with a crushing blow (smashed in
the window). 4 tr. (in
tennis, squash, etc.)
hit (a ball etc.) with great force,
esp. downwards (smashed it
back over the net). 5 intr. (of a
business etc.) go
bankrupt, come to
grief. 6 tr. (as smashed adj.) sl. intoxicated. --n. 1 the
act or an
instance of
smashing; a
violent fall,
collision, or disaster. 2 the
sound of
this. 3 (in full smash hit) a
very successful play,
song, performer, etc. 4 a
stroke in tennis, squash,
etc., in
which the ball is hit esp. downwards with great force. 5 a violent blow with a
fist etc. 6 bankruptcy; a
series of
commercial failures. 7 a
mixture of spirits (usu. brandy) with flavoured
water and
ice. --adv. with a smash (fell smash on the floor). øgo to smash be ruined etc. smash-and-grab (of a
robbery etc.) in which the
thief smashes a shop-window and seizes goods. smash-up a violent collision; a complete smash. [18th
c., prob. imit.
after smack,
smite and
bash,
mash, etc.]
