word choice - Clash, crash and crush

I have never run across all those words. They seem not only close in sound but be used in similar situations (according to my research), that I sometimes become unable to choose which one to use.

The Merriam-Webster says (excerpt):

Clash

intransitive verb

1. 
   

   to make a clash clashed>

   
   


2. 
   

   to come into conflict clash by night — Matthew Arnold>; also : to be incompatible clashed>

   
   
   

transitive verb

: to cause to clash

Crash

transitive verb

1. 
   
   
   
   
   • a: to break violently and noisily : SMASH
   
   
   • b: to damage (an airplane) in landing
   
   
   
   


2. 
   
   
   
   • a: to cause to make a loud noise <crash the cymbals together>
   
   
   • b: to force (as one's way) through with loud crashing noises
   
   
   
   
   

4: to move toward aggressively (as in fighting for a rebound) crashing the boards>

5: to cause (a computer system, component, or program) to crash

intransitive verb

1. 
   
   
   
   • a: to break or go to pieces with or as if with violence and noise
   
   
   • b: to fall, land, or hit with destructive force
   
   
   
   • c: to decline suddenly and steeply
   
   
   • d of a computer system, component, or program : to suffer a sudden major failure usually with attendant loss of data
   
   
   
   


2. 
   

   to make a smashing noise crashing overhead>

   
   


3. 
   

   to move or force one's way with or as if with a crash <crashes into the room>

   
   

Crush

transitive verb

• 
  

  1

  
  
  
  
  • a: to squeeze or force by pressure so as to alter or destroy structure <crush grapes>
  
  
  
  • b: to squeeze together into a mass
  
  
  
  


• 
  

  3: to reduce to particles by pounding or grinding <crush rock>

  
  


• 
  

  4

  
  
  
  
  • a: to suppress or overwhelm as if by pressure or weight
  
  
  
  • b: to oppress or burden grievously <crushed by debt>
  
  
  • c: to subdue completely
  
  
  
  

intransitive verb

2. 
   

   to become crushed

   
   



3. 
   

   to advance with or as if with crushing

   
   

From above, many questions arise. For example:

• clash(intr.) 1 and crash(tr.) 2a (= crash(intr.) 2?) shares similar examples but does it mean they're synonymous in this way?


• Definitions in crash use "break" while crush use "squeeze", and does it mean crush is a subtype of crash, or the two are separate in manner of using forces?


• Is, perhaps, the choice of crash and crush predictable from the object? Which is more correct to say "His dream was crashed." and "His dream was crushed."?

Ultimately, if possible, I want to know whether, for native speakers, these words indeed share some kind of base sense but differ due to external factors, or are essentially different but have many common usages. If the latter, what's the crucial difference between them?

Answer

Interesting question.

Native speakers would treat the three words as have different and distinct meanings.
Only looking at the definitions it can be difficult to see the distinctions.

A clash is an argument or confrontation

The two teams clashed on the football field. ( AmE use of football )
The clash of the cymbals. ( the hitting together )

not to be confused with The Clash.

A crash can mean a "loud sound" or the "forceful coming together"

The crashing of helmets could be heard on every play when the teams clashed.
The crash of the cymbals. ( the loud sound )

it is also used idiomatically in

car crash

plane crash

meaning an accident since the accident can make a loud sound. Crash can also mean to break into or to sneak into as in gate crasher or Wedding Crasher

To crush is to squeeze together

The crush of bodies and the crash of helmets typified the annual clash between the two rival football teams.

96 people died in the Hillsborough Disaster which was a human crush

Crush also has a more positive connotation meaning having an affection for or fondness for more than "like" but less than "in love"

a high school crush

and can be found here Crush