[{"word":"crunches","phonetic":"/ˈkɹʌntʃɪz/","phonetics":[{"text":"/ˈkɹʌntʃɪz/","audio":""}],"meanings":[{"partOfSpeech":"noun","definitions":[{"definition":"A noisy crackling sound; the sound usually associated with crunching.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[]},{"definition":"A critical moment or event.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[]},{"definition":"A problem that leads to a crisis.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[]},{"definition":"(exercise) A form of abdominal exercise, based on a sit-up but in which the lower back remains in contact with the floor.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[]},{"definition":"The overtime work required to catch up and finish a project, usually in the final weeks of development before release.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[]},{"definition":"A dessert consisting of a crunchy topping with fruit underneath.","synonyms":["crisp","crumble"],"antonyms":[]},{"definition":"(generally in the plural) A small piece created by crushing; a piece of material with a friable or crunchy texture.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[]}],"synonyms":["crisp","crumble"],"antonyms":[]},{"partOfSpeech":"verb","definitions":[{"definition":"To crush something, especially food, with a noisy crackling sound.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[],"example":"When I came home, Susan was watching TV with her feet up on the couch, crunching a piece of celery."},{"definition":"To be crushed with a noisy crackling sound.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[],"example":"Beetles crunched beneath the men's heavy boots as they worked."},{"definition":"To calculate or otherwise process (e.g. to crunch numbers: to perform mathematical calculations). Presumably from the sound made by mechanical calculators.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[],"example":"That metadata makes it much easier for the search engine to crunch the data for queries."},{"definition":"To grind or press with violence and noise.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[]},{"definition":"To emit a grinding or crunching noise.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[]},{"definition":"To compress (data) using a particular algorithm, so that it can be restored by decrunching.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[]},{"definition":"To make employees work overtime in order to meet a deadline in the development of a project.","synonyms":[],"antonyms":[]}],"synonyms":[],"antonyms":[]}],"license":{"name":"CC BY-SA 3.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0"},"sourceUrls":["https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/crunch","https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/crunches"]}]