crump
/krʌmp
/noun
A loud thudding sound, especially one made by an exploding bomb or shell: the crump of shells could be heard hours later...
- Preparation turned to execution when the explosives were detonated, resulting in a massive grey cloud and the loud crump of the explosion, which could be heard over four kilometres away.
- Three or four more thunderous crumps echoed out over the surrounding forest.
- The media representation of this war will be from a distance: shots of the city skyline illuminated by the flashes of bomb blasts, the dull crump of explosions.
verb [no object]
Make a loud, thudding sound: we heard the cannon crumping
Origin
Mid 17th century: imitative. The original sense (as a verb) was 'munch, crunch', later 'hit hard' (used initially as a term in the game of cricket), and then the military sense 'bombard' (First World War).