crash English · revision 4636

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=onomatopoeia|attested=c. 1390}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kræʃ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English crasschen, craschen,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) probably of imitative origin, like [[clash]], [[dash]] and [[smash]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) Barnhart compares Middle English crasen “to shatter”, from Old French crasir, and cruschen, from Old French croissir, the source of [[crush]];^(Barnhart 1988) Merriam-Webster suggests an alteration of crasen, the source of [[craze]].^(MWU 2024)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To make a crashing sound: about 1390 in Barnhart;^(Barnhart 1988) to break in pieces with violence and noise: probably before 1400 in Barnhart, in the Morte Arthur,^(Barnhart 1988) perhaps before 1400 in the OED,^(OED 1989) the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The noun, a loud sudden noise of things falling or breaking, is from 1580,^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) a falling to pieces from 1718,^(Etymonline) and a sudden financial collapse from 1817.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The aircraft sense is from 1910 (intransitive) and 1915 (transitive),^(Etymonline) and a collision of vehicles from 1910.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) To break into a party uninvited is from 1922,^(Etymonline) ''crash landing'' from 1928,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and ''crashing bore'' by 1930.^(Etymonline) The slang sense “to sleep” dates from 1943, especially from 1965,^(Etymonline) the ''crash course'' by 1958,^(Etymonline) and the failure of a computer program from 1973.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1390 – to make a crashing sound.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * a. 1400 – to break in pieces.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1580 – noun, a loud noise.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1817 – a financial collapse.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1910 – of aircraft and vehicles.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1922 – to gatecrash.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1943 – to sleep.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1958 – ''crash course''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1973 – a computer crash.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To collide violently with something, or to cause a vehicle or aircraft to do so.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To break or fall noisily to pieces; to [[smash]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To make a sudden loud noise, or move noisily.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To fail suddenly, as a market or economy.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(computing)'' Of a computer or program, to stop working suddenly.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(informal)'' To attend a party uninvited; to [[gatecrash]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(slang)'' To sleep somewhere, especially without planning to.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A violent collision, as of vehicles.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A sudden loud noise of breaking or falling.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A sudden collapse of a business or market.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The sudden failure of a computer or program.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Done intensively to get quick results: ''a crash diet''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[crasher]]

+ * [[crashproof]]

+ * [[crashworthy]]

+ * [[precrash]]

+ * [[crash-dive]]

+ * [[crash-land]]

+ * [[crash course]]

+ * [[crash helmet]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[clash]]

+ * [[smash]]

+ * [[crush]]

+ * [[craze]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Unrelated is crash, a coarse linen fabric (19th century), probably from Russian krashenina “dyed linen”.^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}