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squash pristine hocus-pocus jolt derail

squash

  1. PRESS [transitive] to press something into a flatter shape, often breaking or damaging it SYN flatten:

    • The cake got a bit squashed on the way here.
    • squash something down
      • Her hair had been squashed down by her hat.
    • Move over – you’re squashing me.

  2. SMALL SPACE [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] to push yourself or something else into a space that is too small SYN squeeze

    • squash into
      • Seven of us squashed into the car.
    • squash something in
      • We can probably squash another couple of things in.

  3. STOP SOMETHING [transitive] informal to use your power or authority to stop something SYN quash:

    • Her suggestions were always squashed.
      • squash rumours/hopes/reports etc (=say that a rumour etc is not true)
    • The government was quick to squash any hopes of reform.

  4. CONTROL EMOTION* [transitive] to control or ignore an emotion SYN suppress:

    • She felt anger rising but quickly squashed it.

squash up phrasal verb British English

  • to move closer together or closer to something, especially in order to make room for someone or something else
  • squash up against
    • The others squashed up against Jo.

pristine

pris·tine /ˈprɪstiːn/ adjective

  1. extremely fresh or clean:

    • a pristine white shirt

  2. something that is pristine is in the same condition as when it was first made:

    • The car has been restored to pristine condition.

  3. not spoiled or damaged in any way:

    • pristine African rainforest

hocus-pocus

ho·cus-po·cus /ˌhəʊkəs ˈpəʊkəs $ ˌhoʊkəs ˈpoʊ-/ noun [uncountable]

  • a method or belief that you think is based on false ideas:
    • He thinks psychology is a load of hocus-pocus.

jolt

jolt1 /dʒəʊlt $ dʒoʊlt/ verb

  1. [intransitive and transitive] to move suddenly and roughly, or to make someone or something move in this way SYN jerk:

    • We jolted along rough wet roads through an endless banana plantation.

  2. [transitive] to give someone a sudden shock or surprise:

    • The phone jolted him awake.
    • jolt somebody into/out of something
      • It jolted me into making the decision to quit.
      • Her sharp words seemed to jolt him out of his depression.

derail

de·rail /ˌdiːˈreɪl, dɪ-/ verb

  1. [intransitive and transitive] if a train derails or something derails it, it goes off the tracks
  2. [transitive] to spoil or interrupt a plan, agreement etc:
    • a mistake that might derail the negotiations

— derailment noun [uncountable and countable]