estrellar

to smash

to crash

estrellar(ehs-treh-yahr)

transitive verb

1. (to break violently)

a. to smash

En un ataque de rabia, estrelló el vaso en el piso.

In a fit of rage, he smashed his glass on the floor.

b. to crash

Un kamikaze se acercaba, dispuesto a estrellar su avión contra nuestro barco.

A kamikaze was approaching, prepared to crash his plane into our ship.

c. to slam

El celular tampoco funcionaba. Desesperada, lo estrelló contra la pared.

The cell phone wasn't working either. In despair, she slammed it against the wall.

2. (to cover with stars)

a. to fill with stars

En la mitología hindú, Agni, Señor del Fuego, crea el sol y estrella la noche.

In Hindu mythology, Agni, Lord of Fire, creates the sun and fills the night with stars.

3. (to cook in oil)

a. to fry

Estrella los huevos en una sartén con el aceite muy caliente.

Fry the eggs in a pan with very hot oil.

estrellarse

pronominal verb

4. (to collide)

a. to crash

Se estrelló con el carro pero salió ilesa gracias al airbag.

She crashed her car but escaped unhurt thanks to the airbag.

b. to smash

El fuerte oleaje hizo que la balsa se estrellara contra las rocas.

The strong swell caused the raft to smash against the rocks.

5. (to fail)

a. to fail

Nuestro proyecto estaba destinado a estrellarse sin ver la luz.

Our project was destined to fail before even coming into the world.

6. (to run up against; used with "con")

a. to come up against

Nunca aprende. Todo lo que hace es estrellarse una y otra vez con la realidad.

He never learns his lesson. All he does is to come up against reality, time after time.