Definition and Meaning of “Crush”
Word: crush
Pronunciation: /krʌʃ/
Part of Speech: Noun, verb
Pronunciation: /krʌʃ/
Part of Speech: Noun, verb
- As a noun: A brief but intense infatuation or romantic feeling for someone.
- As a verb: To harbor such feelings (to crush on someone) or to compress physically.
Simple Explanation
A crush is when you really like someone—often secretly—and feel excited or nervous around them.
Grammatical Formation
- Noun: crush (countable)
- “She has a crush on her classmate.”
- Verb (informal): crush (intransitive, slang)
- “He’s crushing on his coworker.”
Synonyms
infatuation, puppy love, fancy, school‑girl crush, admiration, ardor
Antonyms
indifference, dislike, loathing, aversion
Related Terms
infatuation, attraction, crush on, puppy love, romanticinterest, flirtation
Common Collocations
- have a crush on
- secret crush
- childhood crush
- school‑boy/girl crush
- celebrity crush
- unrequited crush
Idiomatic Usage & Expressions
- “Crush on someone” – to be infatuated with them.
- “Nurse a crush” – to quietly hold onto romantic feelings.
- “Get over a crush” – to move past those feelings.
- “Crush it” (slang, unrelated) – to perform very well.
Sample Sentences
- Jamie had a crush on her lab partner all semester.
- He tried to get over his crush by spending time with friends.
- A celebrity crush is normal, but remember they’re just people.
- They shared a childhood crush on the same actor.
- She’s crushing on her neighbor but hasn’t told them yet.
Relationship to Sexuality
A crush often involves emotional and sometimes physical attraction, a mild form of sexual or romantic interest. While usually light and short‑lived, crush‑like feelings can be part of learning about one’s sexual and romantic orientation.
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