squash

Everyday

1. To press or crush something so it becomes flat or out of shape: squash a can, a squashed sandwich. tree →
2. To squeeze into a small space: we squashed into the car. tree →
3. A squash is a vegetable that grows on a vine, like butternut squash, courgette (zucchini) or pumpkin. tree →
4. Squash is a sport played with rackets and a small rubber ball in a room with four walls. tree →
5. In the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, squash is a sweet fruit drink made by adding water to concentrate (cordial). tree →

In the lessons

In science and recycling, squashing cans and boxes makes them take up less space; a squashed object has the same mass but a different shape. In cooking and gardening, squashes are plants of the gourd family grown in autumn. In everyday life, "it's a squash" means it's crowded. In PE, squash is a fast racket game. Phrases: "squash flat", "squash in", "squashed together", "butternut squash", "orange squash".

Examples

• Squash the cans before you put them in the recycling. tree →
• My sandwich got squashed at the bottom of my bag. tree →
• Five of us squashed into the back of the car. tree →
• We grew a big butternut squash in the garden. tree →
• Would you like some orange squash? tree →
• Dad plays squash on Fridays. tree →
• Don't squash the bugs; put them outside. tree →
• It was a real squash on the bus this morning. tree →
• The Carl put his coat on the ground, opened it carefully, and revealed a store of blackberries, squashed, crushed, mangled, democratic, ill-looking. tree →

Note

Third person: squashes (add -es). Squash as a drink or sport is uncountable ("a glass of squash"); as a vegetable it is countable ("two squashes"). In the USA and Canada the drink is not usually called squash; people buy juice or drink mix instead. "Squash" and "squish" mean almost the same.