crusher

English

Etymology

From crush +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɹʌʃə/

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

Noun

crusher (plural crushers)

1. Someone or something that crushes.
2. A machine designed to crush rocks.
3. (slang) A policeman.
   • 1851, Henry Mayhew, “The Literature of Costermongers”, in London Labour and the London Poor‎^[1], volume 1, page 25:

     Anything about the police sets them a talking at once. […] 'The blessed crushers are everywhere,' shouted one. 'I wish I'd been there to have had a shy at the eslops,' said another. And then a man sung out: 'O, don't I like the Bobbys?'

   • 1977, John Le Carré, The Honourable Schoolboy, Folio Society, published 2010, page 110:

     Back in the lobby he bought a copy of Time but didn't like the way the plain-clothes crushers looked at him, and left.

Translations

someone or something that crushes

• Greek:

  Ancient: θραυστής m (thraustḗs)

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Derived terms

• beetle-crusher
• bit crusher
• crumb crusher
• crusher gauge
• gyratory crusher
• quartz crusher
• sandshoe crusher