To crush with the teeth; to chew with violence and noise.-Webster. Mr. Hartshorne notices this word among the provincialisms of England, and gives early examples of its use. It is sometimes pronounced cranch.--Skropskire Glossary.
To cranchen ous andal our kynde.
Piers Ploughman.
She can cranch
A sack of small coale! eat you lime and hair.
Ben Jonson.
The flames seized and crunched the gnarled top of an old oak.
Margaret, p. 350.