crunch

Noun

• the act of crushing

• a critical situation that arises because of a shortage (as a shortage of time or money or resources)
  • an end-of-the year crunch
    
  • a financial crunch
    

• the sound of something crunching
  • he heard the crunch of footsteps on the gravel path
    

Verb

• reduce to small pieces or particles by pounding or abrading
  • grind the spices in a mortar
    
  • mash the garlic
    

• chew noisily
  • The children crunched the celery sticks
    

• press or grind with a crushing noise

• make a crushing noise
  • his shoes were crunching on the gravel
    

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  crush , compaction , grind , mash , bray , comminute , munch , cranch , craunch , scranch , scraunch , crackle