Definition

1. Noun:
   • A serious collision, especially involving motor vehicles: A "smash-up" refers to a severe and destructive crash, typically between cars or other vehicles, resulting in significant damage.
   • A complete destruction or ruin: In a broader, more figurative sense, it can mean a total wreck or failure of something.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The heavy fog caused a terrible smash-up on the highway involving five cars.
  • After the financial smash-up, the company had to declare bankruptcy.

Advanced Usage

• "to be a total smash-up": to be a complete disaster or wreck.
  • The party was a total smash-up after the unexpected guests arrived and started arguing.

Variants and Related Words

• Smash (verb/noun): To break violently into pieces; a violent breaking or collision.
  • The vase fell and smashed on the floor.
• Smash hit (noun phrase): A very successful thing, especially a song or movie. (Note: This is a related compound phrase, not a variant of "smash-up").
  • Their new single became an instant smash hit.

Synonyms

• Collision: An instance of one moving object striking violently against another.
• Pile-up: A multiple-vehicle collision on a road.
• Wreck: The destruction or severe damage of a vehicle, ship, or building.

Related Phrases

• Write-off (noun): A vehicle that is so badly damaged in an accident that it is not worth repairing.
  • My car was a total write-off after the smash-up.

Noun

1. a serious collision (especially of motor vehicles)