crunch

(n) the sound of something crunching
- he heard the crunch of footsteps on the gravel path
(n) 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
(n) the act of crushing compaction, crush,

(v) make a crushing noise
- his shoes were crunching on the gravel
scranch, scraunch, crackle,
(v) press or grind with a crushing noise cranch, craunch, grind,
(v) chew noisily
- The children crunched the celery sticks
munch,
(v) reduce to small pieces or particles by pounding or abrading
- grind the spices in a mortar
- mash the garlic
comminute, bray, mash, grind,

scranch scraunch crackle cranch craunch grind munch compaction crush comminute bray mash