- [countable, usually singular]
a noise like the sound of something hard being pressed or crushed 压碎声；碎裂声 Extra ExamplesThe car ran into the back of the lorry with a loud crunch. 汽车嘎吱一声撞上了卡车的后部。 The snow gave a crunch as we stepped onto it. 我们踏上雪时，雪发出嘎吱嘎吱的声音。 There was a sickening crunch as the bone snapped. 骨头断裂时发出令人作呕的嘎吱声。
- the crunch[singular] (informal)
an important and often unpleasant situation or piece of information 紧要关头；困境；症结；令人不快的重要消息 The crunch came when she returned from America. 她从美国回来以后，危机就出现了。 He always says he'll help but when it comes to the crunch (= when it is time for action) he does nothing. 他口口声声说一定帮忙，然而到关键时候却不行动。 The crunch is that we can't afford to go abroad this year. 症结在于我们今年负担不起出国的费用。 Sunday's crunch game with Leeds. 星期天与利兹队决一雌雄的比赛
- [countable, usually singular]
a situation in which there is suddenly not enough of something, especially money （突发的）不足，短缺；（尤指）缺钱 the budget/energy/housing crunch 预算／能源／住房短缺 Higher grain prices are putting a crunch on cattle feeders. 较高的谷物价格给养牛者带来了压力。
- [countable] (also sit-up)
an exercise for making your stomach muscles strong, in which you lie on your back on the floor and raise the top part of your body to a sitting position 仰卧起坐
Word Originearly 19th cent. (as a verb): variant of 17th-cent. cranch (probably imitative), by association with crush and munch.