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Glite Dictionary
crash dive

crash dive

1 7.5
A very fast, steep descent by a submarine or plane to avoid danger
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : inmersión de emergencia

Examples

  • Prepare to crash dive!

    Cannonball Run II (1984)

  • Dive, crash dive!

    The Great Race (1965)

  • The captain ordered a crash dive to evade the incoming torpedo.

  • In a desperate situation, the pilot called for a crash dive to escape detection by enemy radar.

  • The submarine executed a crash dive as enemy ships approached, ensuring it remained hidden.

Synonyms

dive
vscrash dive
  • Specialized
26 6.5

A steep nose-down descent by an aircraft during a maneuver

is a rapid emergency descent performed to avoid danger or detection
plunge
vscrash dive
20 4.0

A steep sudden fall from a higher to a lower level

is a deliberate emergency descent to escape threat, not just a general fall
nose dive
vscrash dive
1 5.3

A sudden steep fall that often happens to a plane with its front pointing down or to prices

is a quick emergency descent aimed at escaping threat or being unseen
to power-dive
vscrash dive
  • Specialized
7.5

To make a plane dive steeply and quickly using engine power

is an urgent descent to avoid danger rather than a powered technique

How Rapid

nose dive
1 5.3
crash dive
  • Specialized
1 7.5
plunge
20 4.0
dive
104 1.0
descent
89 3.7

Surface Forms

crash dive singular
crash dives plural

Morphology

crash + dive

The sense 'a rapid, steep descent' is directly and predictably built from 'crash' (sudden/violent) plus 'dive' (a steep descent), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer an emergency or very sudden descent. This is a compositional compound following ordinary English patterns and has clear cross-linguistic parallels, making the meaning transparent.

Etymology

Crash dive comes from submarines and wartime planes that had to go down very fast to escape attack. The word crash shows the sudden emergency and dive is the literal sinking, so today it means 'a very quick drop to avoid danger'.