apachar

A Central American colloquialism (El Salvador, Honduras) meaning to squash or flatten, essentially a regional synonym for aplastar or apachurrar. In Guatemala it can instead mean to press a button. It comes from the Nahuatl patzoa ("to bruise, to crush") — the same root behind apachurrar and apapachar, though the meanings have since diverged.

• El niño apachó la lata de refresco con el pie. — The kid squashed the soda can with his foot.
• Tuvo que apachar el botón varias veces para que funcionara. — He had to press the button several times to get it to work.
• Cuidado, vas a apachar las tortillas si las pones ahí. — Careful, you're going to squash the tortillas if you put them there.

Confusing apachar with apapachar because they look and sound alike and share a Nahuatl root — apachar means to squash or press something, while apapachar means to cuddle or comfort someone; they are not interchangeable.

Often confused with apachurrar.