Crunch
/krʌntʃ/noun
To crush or grind something with a loud, crackling noise; also, a rough or difficult situation.
Did you know?Crunch is an expressive English word first recorded in the 16th century, and its sharp, crushing sound may have been shaped by imitation rather than inherited from a neat ancient root.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
English
crunchen
“To crush or make a crushing noise.”
Late Middle English
English
crunche(n)
“To chew or crush with a noisy grinding sound.”
Middle English
English
cruchen
“To crush, grind, or crunch.”
Modern English
English
crunch
“To crush with a crackling noise; a difficult or tense situation.”