zerquetschen

Zerquetschen is a German verb meaning to crush, squash, or mash something into a dense mass by applying strong pressure. It implies destroying or markedly deforming a solid object rather than merely bending or folding it. The prefix zer- conveys thorough destruction, and the verb is transitive, taking a direct object in the accusative. The past participle is zerquetscht, and the auxiliary in perfect tense is haben.

In literal usage, zerquetschen can describe activities such as crushing fruit to make juice, flattening a small item under high pressure, or otherwise deforming materials until they break apart or become pulp. It can also be used metaphorically to express the destruction of non-physical things, for example: "Seine Hoffnungen wurden zerquetscht" (his hopes were crushed).

Zerquetschen is closely related to zerdrücken (to crush or squash, sometimes with slightly less force) and zerschmettern (to smash to pieces). It is distinguished from gentler verbs by its emphasis on thorough crushing or pulverization. In usage, the context often clarifies whether literal crushing or a figurative defeat is meant.