Crash
/kræʃ/noun
To break violently into pieces or collide with force; also, a sudden loud noise or a severe collapse.
Did you know?English crash likely grew out of Germanic sound-symbolism, which is why its brutal meaning feels as if the word itself is breaking apart when you say it.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle English
English
crashen
“to break, smash, or make a loud noise”
Middle French
French
crasir
“to break, crush, or shatter”
Germanic
Germanic
*krass-
“an imitative base suggesting breaking or crashing sound”
Modern English
English
crash
“to collide violently, break suddenly, or fail abruptly”