v., crunched, crunch·ing, crunch·es. v.tr.
- To chew with a noisy crackling sound.
- To crush, grind, or tread noisily.
- Slang. To perform operations on; manipulate or process (numerical or mathematical data).
- To chew noisily with a crackling sound: crunching on celery.
- To move with a crushing sound: crunching through the snow.
- To produce or emit a crushing sound.
- The act or sound of crunching.
- A modified sit-up having a smaller range of motion that reduces back strain and strengthens the abdominal muscles: stomach crunches.
- A decisive confrontation.
- A critical moment or situation, especially one that occurs because of a shortage of time or resources: a year-end crunch; an energy crunch.
- A period of financial difficulty characterized by tight money and unavailability of credit.
[Alteration of craunch, possibly of imitative origin.]
crunchable crunch'a·ble adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
