Marries Is a Linking Verb
A loaded word is a word that not only informs but also caries some emotion with it, such as condemning, exciting, praising.
In the statement above the loaded word is "crushing" - it makes a qualitative statement about the defeat: it was a very definite defeat.
Answer is A. Only answer choice that has anything to do with water.
I think the appositive phrase would be B. plays on
