squash
pronunciation
How to pronounce squash in British English:
UK [skwɒʃ]
How to pronounce squash in American English:
US [skwɑːʃ]
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- Noun:
- any of numerous annual tendril-bearing trailing plants of the genus Cucurbita grown for their fleshy edible fruits
- edible fruit of a squash plant; eaten as a vegetable
- a game played in an enclosed court by two or four players who strike the ball with long-handled rackets
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- Verb:
- to compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition
Word Origin
- squash
- squash: see quash
- squash (v.)
- "to crush, squeeze," early 14c., squachen, from Old French esquasser, escasser "to crush, shatter, destroy, break," from Vulgar Latin *exquassare, from Latin ex- "out" (see ex-) + quassare "to shatter" (see quash "to crush"). Related: Squashed; squashing.
- squash (n.1)
- gourd fruit, 1640s, shortened borrowing from Narraganset (Algonquian) askutasquash, literally "the things that may be eaten raw," from askut "green, raw, uncooked" + asquash "eaten," in which the -ash is a plural affix (compare succotash).
- squash (n.2)
- 1610s, "act of squashing," from squash (v.). The racket game called by that name 1899; earlier (1886) it was the name of the soft rubber ball used in it.
Example
- 1. I grow corn , tomatoes , potatoes and squash .
- 2. Try not to squash any of the creatures - some are very small and delicate .
- 3. Recognize negative thoughts , squash them , and find positive thoughts to replace them . Works every time .
- 4. The pride of the white star line , the titanic had a mahogany-paneled smoking room , a swimming pool and a squash court .
- 5. Nevertheless , even in iraq steaks , squash and fresh romaine lettuce are brought miles across the dangerous desert so that the troops can eat hearty , healthy food .