Garlic can add flavor to dishes in many ways.  One of them is to peel the individual garlic clove once seperated from the bulb, leaving the hard part where it was connected to the bulb.  To smash, crush it with the flat part of your knife, flattening the bulb while keeping it in one piece. 

This smashed garlic can be added to soups and sauces much like a bay leaf, imparting its flavor during cooking but removed before eating.