crunch time


a period of intense pressure; a critical situation: It's crunch time for high-tech companies. Compare crunch(def 10).

Origin of crunch time

1975–80

Idioms and Phrases with crunch time

crunch time

A period when pressure to succeed is great, often toward the end of an undertaking. For example, It's crunch time—we only have two more days to finish. This term employs crunch in the sense of “a critical situation or test.” [Slang; 1970s]