Dictionary

scrunch en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /skɹʌnt͡ʃ/

Etymology

Attested since about 1800. Probably an intensive form of crunch; ultimately derived from the onomatopoeia of a crumpling sound; or perhaps a blend of squeeze + crunch.

Meanings

1. A crunching noise.
   • The watchers knew already that the door was fastened and looked for the unknown to produce a key. Instead, there was a sudden scrunch of iron, a splintering of wood, and the door swung loosely open. 1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries:

Forms

Translations (10)

pl chrzęst (crunching noise) · sv knaster (crunching noise) · sv krasande (crunching noise) · pl chrupot (crunching noise) · da mase (crunching noise) · bg скърцане (crunching noise) · pt apertar (crunching noise) · bg хрускане (crunching noise) · da knase (crunching noise) · bg хрущене (crunching noise)

scrunch en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /skɹʌnt͡ʃ/

Etymology

Attested since about 1800. Probably an intensive form of crunch; ultimately derived from the onomatopoeia of a crumpling sound; or perhaps a blend of squeeze + crunch.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To crumple and squeeze to make more compact.
   • He scrunched the paper into a ball and threw it at the whistling girl.
   • […] and the scrunching of ashes under our feet I have often observed to be disagreeable to many. 1793–1799, Robert Townson, Tracts and Observations in Natural History and Physiology, page 154:
   • Then I put them under my heel, and scrunched them up, every one. 1800, Walter Besant, James Rice, With Harp and Crown, page 828:
2. (transitive, with object "one's face") To crumple and squeeze to make more compact. ▸ To contract the muscles of one's face so as to draw their facial features together, out of pain, discomfort, uncertainty, etc.
   • He scrunched his face at his wife's confounding request.
3. (alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of scranch.
   alt of scranch

Forms

Relateds

scrunchie · scrunch up

Translations (19)

mi kopenu (crumple) · bg сма́чкам (crumple) · fo rukka saman (crumple) · sv skrynkla ihop (crumple) · it accartocciare (crumple) · bg ма́чкам (crumple) · it compattare (crumple) · de zerknüllen (crumple) · sv krossa (crumple) · de zerknautschen (crumple) · bg сма́чквам (crumple) · de zusammenknüllen (crumple) · pl miąć w kulkę (crumple) · sv knyckla ihop (crumple) · pl zmiąć w kulkę (crumple) · da mase (crumple) · de zusammenknautschen (crumple) · es arrugar (crumple) · de knüllen (crumple)