smash

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B2 — Upper-Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a vigorous blow
  2. noun a serious collision (especially of motor vehicles)
  3. noun a hard return hitting the tennis ball above your head

Etymology

Uncertain, probably of onomatopoeic origin. Compare Swedish smask (“to smack with the lips”), dialectal Swedish smaska (“to smack, kiss”), Danish smaske (“to smack with the lips”), Low German smaksen (“to smack with the lips, kiss”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

knock, bash, bang, belt

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