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单词 crack
释义

crackn.

Brit. /krak/, U.S. /kræk/
Forms: Middle English–1500s crak, Middle English krakke, Middle English krak, 1500s crakke, crake, 1500s–1600s cracke, 1500s– crack.
Etymology: Goes with crack v. The noun is not known in Old English, but corresponding forms occur early in the cognate languages: Old High German chrac, dialect German krack, Dutch krak, and Old High German *chrah, Middle High German and German krach, Middle Dutch crak (dative crāke), modern Dutch kraak, East Frisian krak and krâk. Compare also French crac (in Cotgrave 1611), similarly related to craquer.
originally. An imitation of the sharp sound caused by the sudden breaking of anything hard; whence, I. any sharp dry sound, II. a break or breaking of various kinds, with III. sundry transferred applications.
I. Of sound.
* inarticulate.
1.
a. A sudden sharp and loud noise as of something breaking or bursting; e.g. the crack of a rifle, a whip, of breaking ice, bones, etc. Formerly applied also to the roar of a cannon, of a trumpet, and of thunder; the last is still common dialect, and in the archaic phrase the ‘crack of doom’, i.e. the thunder-peal of the day of judgement, or perhaps the blast of the archangel's trump.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sharp or hard sound > [noun] > crack or snap
crackingc1290
cracka1400
crickling1584
crick-crack1600
snap1611
snapping1812
crickle1914
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 18953 All carpand of þat grisli crack.
c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness l. 1210 Cler claryoun crak cryed on-lofte.
1460 Lybeaus Disc. 962 Gyffrounys legge to-brak, That men herde the krak.
c1550 Complaynt Scotl. (1979) vi. 47 The euyl that the thondir dois..is dune or ve heir the crak of it.
1557 Earl of Surrey et al. Songes & Sonettes sig. Q.iv Cannons wt their thundryng cracks.
1595 Blanchardine & Eglantine liv. 218 Huge and horible crakes of thuunder.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) iv. i. 133 What will the Line stretch out to' th' cracke of Doome? View more context for this quotation
1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §210 In Thunder, which is far off..the Lightning precedeth the crack, a good space.
1718 J. Gay Let. to Mr. F. 9 Aug. There was heard so loud a crack, as if heaven had split asunder.
1803 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 9 203 I made the necessary extension until the joint gave a crack.
1832 H. Martineau Life in Wilds viii. 100 The crack of his whip.
1867 F. Parkman Jesuits in N. Amer. xvi. 219 The deadly crack of the rifle.
b. A cannon-shot (obsolete); a rifle-shot (colloquial). gynis for crakkis (i.e. engines), crakkis of wer: cannon.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > management of artillery > [noun] > an artillery shot
crack1487
society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > use or operation of small arms > [noun] > discharge of rifles > rifle-shot
rifle shot1780
crack1849
1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xix. 399 Twa novelreis that day thai saw..The tothir crakkis [1489 Adv. crakys] war of wer, That thai befor herd neuir eir.
1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xvii. 250 Bot gynis for crakkis [1489 Adv. crakys] had he nane.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) i. ii. 37 As Cannons ouer-charg'd with double Cracks . View more context for this quotation
1849 W. S. Mayo Kaloolah (1887) 23 I thought I'd take a crack at him.
?1856 F. E. Smedley Harry Coverdale's Courtship i. 3 I mean to carry you off..for a crack at the rabbits.
c. A sharp, heavy, sounding blow. (colloquial)
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > impact > striking > striking with specific degree of force > [noun] > striking heavily > a heavy blow > and resounding
bouncea1529
bang?c1550
dunder1789
plunk1809
crack1836
1836 C. Dickens in Morning Chron. 26 Oct. 3/5 Green eid jist fetch him a crack over the head with the telescope.
1838 C. Dickens Oliver Twist II. xxii. 43 I'll do your business myself with a crack on the head.
?1856 F. E. Smedley Harry Coverdale's Courtship ii. 11 You hit him an awful crack!
1882 J. Sturgis Dick's Wandering iii. iv. xlvi. 156 To..hit him a crack over the sleek head.
d. In phr.: to have (or take or give) a crack, to make an attempt, or trial; to ‘have a shot’ or ‘go’. colloquial (originally U.S.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > endeavour > make an attempt or endeavour [verb (intransitive)]
fanda1225
procurea1325
assay1370
workc1384
to put oneself in pressc1390
purchasec1400
buskc1450
study1483
fend15..
try1534
enterprise1547
to make an attempt?c1550
to give the venture1589
prove1612
nixuriate1623
to lay out1659
essay1715
to bring (also carry, drive, etc.) one's pigs to market1771
to have (or take or give) a crack1836
to make an out1843
to go to market1870
to give it a burl1917
to have a bash (at)1950
1836 Hill's Yankee Story Teller's Own Bk. (Weingarten).
1885 C. M. Yonge Two Sides of Shield II. i. 2 Uncle Regie, will you have a crack at the rabbits to-morrow?
1918 H. C. Witwer From Baseball to Boches iv. 164 The medico says I'll be all right..to take another crack at them Germans.
1922 E. Wallace Flying Fifty-five xxxix. 236 I'd take a crack at some of them with Fifty and even with Meyrick, who is a smashing good horse.
1939 ‘N. Shute’ What happened to Corbetts? iv. 110 I'll have a crack at going on board.
1947 ‘N. Shute’ Chequer Board vii. 168 He said they wanted me, so I said I'd give it a crack.
1955 M. E. B. Banks Commando Climber viii. 146 Are you having a crack at the Slav Route?
1959 M. Hastings Hour-glass to Eternity ii. i. 148 We'd like to have a crack at climbing the peak.
1959 J. Thurber Years with Ross vii. 131 I'm going to give Bergman a crack at that job.
1966 Sunday Mail Mag. (Brisbane) 2 Jan. 11/5 He returned to Australia determined to take another crack at the land.
2.
a. The time occupied by a crack or shot; a moment, instant. in a crack: in a moment, immediately (cf. in a twinkle at twinkle n. 2). colloquial.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > immediacy > [adverb]
soonc825
ratheeOE
rathelyeOE
rekeneOE
rekenlyOE
thereright971
anonOE
forth ona1000
coflyc1000
ferlyc1000
radlyOE
swiftlyc1000
unyoreOE
yareOE
at the forme (also first) wordOE
nowOE
shortlya1050
rightOE
here-rightlOE
right anonlOE
anonc1175
forthrightc1175
forthwithalc1175
skeetc1175
swithc1175
with and withc1175
anon-rightc1225
anon-rights?c1225
belivec1225
lightly?c1225
quickly?c1225
tidelyc1225
fastlyc1275
hastilyc1275
i-radlichec1275
as soon asc1290
aright1297
bedenea1300
in little wevea1300
withoute(n dwella1300
alrightc1300
as fast (as)c1300
at firstc1300
in placec1300
in the placec1300
mididonec1300
outrightc1300
prestc1300
streck13..
titec1300
without delayc1300
that stounds1303
rada1325
readya1325
apacec1325
albedenec1330
as (also also) titec1330
as blivec1330
as line rightc1330
as straight as linec1330
in anec1330
in presentc1330
newlyc1330
suddenlyc1330
titelyc1330
yernec1330
as soon1340
prestly1340
streckly1340
swithly?1370
evenlya1375
redelya1375
redlya1375
rifelya1375
yeplya1375
at one blastc1380
fresha1382
ripelyc1384
presentc1385
presently1385
without arrestc1385
readilyc1390
in the twinkling of a looka1393
derflya1400
forwhya1400
skeetlya1400
straighta1400
swifta1400
maintenantc1400
out of handc1400
wightc1400
at a startc1405
immediately1420
incontinent1425
there and then1428
onenec1429
forwithc1430
downright?a1439
agatec1440
at a tricec1440
right forth1440
withouten wonec1440
whipc1460
forthwith1461
undelayed1470
incessantly1472
at a momentc1475
right nowc1475
synec1475
incontinently1484
promptly1490
in the nonce?a1500
uncontinent1506
on (upon, in) the instant1509
in short1513
at a clap1519
by and by1526
straightway1526
at a twitch1528
at the first chop1528
maintenantly1528
on a tricea1529
with a tricec1530
at once1531
belively1532
straightwaysa1533
short days1533
undelayedly1534
fro hand1535
indelayedly1535
straight forth1536
betimesc1540
livelyc1540
upononc1540
suddenly1544
at one (or a) dash?1550
at (the) first dash?1550
instantly1552
forth of hand1564
upon the nines1568
on the nail1569
at (also in, with) a thoughtc1572
indilately1572
summarily1578
at one (a) chop1581
amain1587
straightwise1588
extempore1593
presto1598
upon the place1600
directly1604
instant1604
just now1606
with a siserary1607
promiscuously1609
at (in) one (an) instant1611
on (also upon) the momenta1616
at (formerly also on or upon) sight1617
hand to fist1634
fastisha1650
nextly1657
to rights1663
straightaway1663
slap1672
at first bolt1676
point-blank1679
in point1680
offhand1686
instanter1688
sonica1688
flush1701
like a thought1720
in a crack1725
momentary1725
bumbye1727
clacka1734
plumba1734
right away1734
momentarily1739
momentaneously1753
in a snap1768
right off1771
straight an end1778
abruptedly1784
in a whistle1784
slap-bang1785
bang?1795
right off the reel1798
in a whiff1800
in a flash1801
like a shot1809
momently1812
in a brace or couple of shakes1816
in a gird1825
(all) in a rush1829
in (also at, on) short (also quick) order1830
straightly1830
toot sweetc1830
in two twos1838
rectly1843
quick-stick1844
short metre1848
right1849
at the drop of a (occasionally the) hat1854
off the hooks1860
quicksticks1860
straight off1873
bang off1886
away1887
in quick sticks (also in a quick stick)1890
ek dum1895
tout de suite1895
bung1899
one time1899
prompt1910
yesterday1911
in two ups1934
presto changeo1946
now-now1966
presto change1987
the world > time > duration > shortness or brevity in time > [noun] > moment or instant
hand-whileOE
prinkOE
start-while?c1225
twinkling1303
rese?c1335
prick1340
momenta1382
pointa1382
minutea1393
instant1398
braida1400
siquarea1400
twink14..
whip?c1450
movement1490
punct1513
pissing whilea1556
trice1579
turning of a hand1579
wink1585
twinklec1592
semiquaver1602
punto1616
punctilio of time1620
punctum1620
breathing1625
instance1631
tantillation1651
rapc1700
crack1725
turning of a straw1755
pig's whisper1780
jiffy1785
less than no time1788
jiff1797
blinka1813
gliffy1820
handclap1822
glimpsea1824
eyewink1836
thought1836
eye-blink1838
semibreve1845
pop1847
two shakes of a lamb's taila1855
pig's whistle1859
time point1867
New York minute1870
tick1879
mo?1896
second1897
styme1897
split-second1912
split minute1931
no-time1942
sec.1956
1725 A. Ramsay Gentle Shepherd i. i I trow, when that she saw, within a crack, She came with a right thieveless errand back.
1764 S. Foote Mayor of Garret i. 1 They..will be here in a crack.
1834 A. W. Fonblanque Eng. under Seven Admin. (1837) III. 162 He was a Reformer in the crack of a whip.
1883 R. L. Stevenson Treasure Island iv. xxi. 170 He was on his feet again in a crack.
b. The break (of dawn, of day). colloquial (originally dialect and U.S.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > day and night > day or daytime > dawn > [noun]
aristc825
dawingc900
dayeOE
day-rimOE
day-redOE
mornOE
lightOE
lightingOE
dawning1297
day-rowa1300
grekinga1300
uprista1300
dayninga1325
uprisingc1330
sun arisingc1350
springc1380
springingc1380
day-springa1382
morrowingc1384
dayingc1400
daylighta1425
upspring1471
aurora1483
sky1515
orienta1522
breaking of the day1523
daybreak1530
day-peep1530
morrow dayc1530
peep of the morning1530
prick of the day?1533
morning1535
day-breaking1565
creek1567
sunup1572
breach of the day1579
break of day or morn1584
peep of day1587
uprise1594
dawna1616
day-dawn1616
peep of dawn1751
strike of day1790
skreigh1802
sunbreak1822
day-daw1823
screech1829
dayclean1835
sun dawn1835
first light1838
morning-red1843
piccaninny sun1846
piccaninny daylightc1860
gloaming1873
glooming1877
sparrow-fart1886
crack1887
sun-spring1900
piccaninny dawn1936
1887 Outing 10 7/1 At ‘crack of day’ as the sergeant of the guard expressed it, the stir of camp was started by waking up the cook.
1899 E. W. Prevost Dickinson's Gloss. Words & Phrases Cumberland (new ed.) 146/2 Crack o' day, the first dawning before sunrise.
1923 C. E. Mulford Black Buttes ii. 27 You boys git what sleep you can. We'll round 'em up at the crack of dawn.
1929 J. B. Priestley Good Compan. ii. v. 375 ‘And when will it arrive at Middleford?’.. ‘About the crack of dawn, I suppose.’
1948 W. S. Maugham Catalina xxix. 185 He had slipped away at crack of dawn.
3. The breaking of wind, ventris crepitus. Obsolete exc. dialect.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > organs of excretion > action of breaking wind > [noun]
fistingc1000
fartingOE
cracka1387
crackaret1653
crepitation1822
crepitus1882
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1865) I. 409 A crak of þe neþer ende.
c1425 Wyntoun Cron. viii. xxvi. 47 Lattand a crak, þat men mycht here.
1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 464 That he should..let a cracke downeward.
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues at Soubchantre Gardez le soubchantre. (Said when a man stoopes so low, or straines so hard, that he is in danger to let a fart;) ware crackes hoe.
** vocal.
4. Loud talk, boast, brag; hence, sometimes, exaggeration, lie. archaic or dialect. (In this sense there was a tendency in 16th cent. to use crake as a distinctive form. Cf. crack v. 6.)
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > boasting or boastfulness > [noun]
yelpc888
yelpinga1050
roosingc1175
boastc1300
avauntment1303
avauntry1330
vauntingc1340
bragc1360
avauntingc1380
boastingc1380
avauntance1393
angarda1400
bragging1399
vaunta1400
crackingc1440
crackc1450
crowing1484
jactancea1492
vaunterya1492
bragancea1500
gloriation?1504
blasta1513
vousting1535
braggery?1571
jactation1576
self-boasting1577
thrasonism1596
braggartry1598
braggartism1601
jactancy1623
braggadocianism1624
blazing1628
jactitation1632
word-braving1642
rodomontadea1648
fanfaronade1652
superbiloquence1656
vapouring1656
rodomontading1661
blow1684
goster1703
gasconade1709
gasconading1709
vauntingness1727
braggadocioa1734
Gasconism1744
Gascoigny1754
braggade1763
gostering1763
penny trumpet1783
cockalorum?a1792
boastfulness1810
vauntage1818
bull-flesh1820
blowing1840
vauntiness1851
kompology1854
loud-mouthing1858
skite1860
gabbing1869
mouth1891
buck1895
skiting1916
boosterism1926
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > [noun] > a falsehood, lie
liec900
leasingc1000
falsehoodc1290
falsedom1297
gabbinga1300
fablec1300
follyc1300
fittenc1440
untruthc1449
crackc1450
fallacy1481
falsity1557
falsedict1579
untroth1581
crackera1625
flam1632
mendacity1646
fairy story1692
false1786
whid1794
gag1805
wrinkle1819
reacher1828
cram1842
untruism1845
crammer1861
inveracity1864
bung1882
fairy tale1896
mistruth1897
post-and-rails1945
pork pie1973
porky1985
c1450 J. Hardyng Map of Scotl. (National MSS. Scotl. ii. lxx.) Wher Pluto..regneth in wo In his palais of pride with boste and crak [rhyme lak].
1523 in State Papers Henry VIII (1849) VI. 122 Notwythstondynge the Frenchemennys crakes.
1550 J. Coke Deb. Heraldes Eng. & Fraunce sig. Giv Crackes, lyes, vauntes, bostes: and fables.
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene ii. xi. sig. Y8v Leasinges, backbytinges, and vaineglorious crakes.
1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy i. ii. iii. xiv. 163 Out of this fountaine [sc. vainglory] proceed all those cracks and bragges.
1773 O. Goldsmith She stoops to Conquer ii. 42 That's a damned confounded—crack.
1892 Still heard from schoolboys, though cracker is more common.]
5.
Categories »
a. Brisk talk, conversation; plural news. Scottish and northern dialect.
b. A sharp or cutting remark. colloquial (originally U.S.). Cf. wisecrack n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > derision, ridicule, or mockery > caustic or ironic ridicule > [noun] > instance of
gesta1387
quippy1519
quip1532
irony1534
nip1549
taunta1566
slent?1567
gamegall1577
yark1577
veny1586
jerk1590
wipe1596
glance1602
satire1606
by-wipe1641
quib1656
trait1704
skit1727
slant1825
ironism1842
wiper1846
by-quip1855
satirization1868
snapper1890
crack1896
1725 A. Ramsay Gentle Shepherd ii. i Come sit down And gie's your cracks. What's a' the news in town?
1786 R. Burns Holy Fair xxvi, in Poems 53 They're a' in famous tune For crack that day.
a1810 R. Tannahill Poems (1846) 55 Gossips ay maun hae their crack.
a1862 H. D. Thoreau Cape Cod (1865) v. 92 Having had another crack with the old man.
1880 W. Besant & J. Rice Seamy Side in Time II. 457 To have a crack with the boatmen on the beach.
1896 G. Ade Artie ii. 14 After that first saucy crack with the half [dollar] I laid low three or four hands.
1903 A. H. Lewis Boss 120 This is exec'tive session, an' that crack about bein' a taxpayer is more of a public utterance.
1923 R. D. Paine Comrades Rolling Ocean viii. 129 Do you remember the day before that when he made that crack at you in front of Miss Crozier?
1924 W. M. Raine Troubled Waters xviii. 197 Make another crack like that and there'll be trouble right here in Cell Fifteen.
1930 P. G. Wodehouse Very Good, Jeeves v. 127 Just one crack like that out of him..and I should infallibly have done his upper maxillary a bit of no good.
1958 Manch. Guardian 7 June 4/6 An anti-British crack gets as greedy a laugh as an anti-American gibe in London.
1967 Listener 28 Dec. 846/3 Mr Davis's book..is devoid of ‘personalities’ in the malign sense, except for one snide (and unworthy) crack at Pope Paul VI on page 114.
c. Anglo-Irish. Fun, amusement; mischief. Frequently in for the crack, for fun.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > [noun]
gleea700
playeOE
gameeOE
lakec1175
skentingc1175
wil-gomenc1275
solacec1290
deduit1297
envesurec1300
playingc1300
disport1303
spilea1325
laking1340
solacingc1384
bourdc1390
mazec1390
welfarea1400
recreationc1400
solancec1400
sporta1425
sportancea1450
sportingc1475
deport1477
recreancea1500
shurting15..
ebate?1518
recreating1538
abatementc1550
pleasuring1556
comfortmenta1558
disporting1561
pastiming1574
riec1576
joyance1595
spleen1598
merriment1600
amusement1603
amusing1603
entertainment1612
spleena1616
divertisement1651
diversion1653
disportment1660
sporting of nature1666
fun1726
délassement1804
gammock1841
pleasurement1843
dallying1889
rec1922
good, clean fun1923
cracka1966
looning1966
shoppertainment1993
society > leisure > entertainment > [adverb] > for fun
for the cracka1966
a1966 ‘M. na Gopaleen’ Best of Myles (1968) 93 You say you'd like a joke or two for a bit of crack.
1977 Cork Examiner 4 June 1/6 It was my first time entering a beauty competition. I only entered for the crack when we were at a function at the South County in Dublin.
1982 Sunday Times 5 Dec. (Colour Suppl.) 30/1 They came to Lisdoonvarna only for ‘the crack’... ‘Crack’ has several ingredients, of which two are merriment and mischief, but the word is really defiant of precise definition.
1982 Sunday Times 5 Dec. (Colour Suppl.) 30/3 The younger set, cheerfully opportunistic, loving ‘the crack’.
II. Breaking; fissure.
6. Thieves' slang. House-breaking.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > burglary > [noun]
housebreachlOE
burgh-brechea1387
burglary1532
housebreaking1607
breaking and entering1617
game1811
crack1819
screwing1819
effraction1840
burst1857
burglarizing1872
burgling1880
ship-breaking1901
1819 J. H. Vaux New Vocab. Flash Lang. in Memoirs II. (at cited word) The crack is the game of house-breaking; a crack is a breaking any house or building for the purpose of plunder.
1838 C. Dickens Oliver Twist II. xxii. 37 ‘Here,’ said Toby..‘Success to the crack!’
7.
a. A fissure or opening formed by the cracking, breaking, or bursting of a hard substance.
ΘΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > breaking or cracking > [noun] > a crack or breach
chinec888
bruche?a1300
crevice1382
scar1390
scorec1400
rimea1425
riftc1425
riving1440
creekc1480
brack1524
rive1527
bruise1530
crack1530
chink1545
chap1553
riff1577
chop1578
chinker1581
coane1584
fraction1587
cranice1603
slifter1607
fracture1641
shake1651
snap1891
the world > space > relative position > condition of being open or not closed > an opening or aperture > [noun] > chink, crevice, or cleft
chinec888
cleftc1374
crevice1382
crannyc1440
crack1530
crannel1534
chink1552
crank1552
gash1575
chaum1601
chawn1601
fissure1609
case1778
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 210/2 Cracke, breakyng, fente.
1694 Acct. Several Late Voy. (1711) ii. 30 A Mountain..full of craks all filled up with Snow.
1863 F. A. Kemble Jrnl. Resid. Georgian Plantation 37 Centipedes..come out of the cracks..of the walls.
b. A break in which the parts still remain in contact; a partial fracture.
ΘΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > breaking or cracking > [noun] > a crack or breach > a partial fracture or crack
crazing1388
fault?1518
craze1587
crack1590
flaw1615
1590 J. Smythe Certain Disc. Weapons 21 In case their peeces by overcharging..or crackes, or rifts, doo breake.
1665 R. Hooke Micrographia 43 I have very often been able to make a crack or flaw, in some convenient pieces of Glass, to appear and disappear at pleasure.
1758 Handmaid to Arts (1764) II. 347 The surface will appear covered with..a net-work of an infinite number of cracks.
1854 E. Ronalds & T. Richardson Knapp's Chem. Technol. (ed. 2) I. 86 The most porous pieces [of charcoal], and such as are full of cracks.
1893 N.E.D. at Crack Mod. A crack in the bell so minute as to be with difficulty distinguished.
c. spec. An opening between floorboards or in a floor; esp. in to walk a (or the) crack; also figurative. U.S.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > a straight course > go in a straight course [verb (intransitive)] > along joint between floorboards
to walk a (or the) crack1825
society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > floor > [noun] > opening between floorboards
crack1825
seam1844
1825 J. K. Paulding John Bull in Amer. vii. 81 When I had qualified myself by being able to walk a crack after swallowing half a gallon of whiskey.
1869 H. B. Stowe Oldtown Folks xxxvii. 483 Your minister sartin doos slant a leetle towards th' Arminians; he don't quite walk the crack.
1875 H. B. Stowe We & our Neighbors ix. 100 They don't come it round Jim. Any boy that don't toe the crack gets it.
1878 H. B. Stowe Poganuc People ix. 101 ‘I bet you Reason can't walk a crack now,’ he said.
1902 W. N. Harben Abner Daniel 73 He could walk a crack with a gallon sloshin' about in 'im.
d. A slight opening between a door and the door-post; similarly of a window.
ΘΠ
the world > space > relative position > condition of being open or not closed > an opening or aperture > [noun] > chink, crevice, or cleft > between a door or window and the post
crack1892
1892 J. C. Harris Uncle Remus & Friends 143 When he got little nigher, he tuck notice dat de front door wuz on de crack.
1898 M. Deland Old Chester Tales 237 I always think the door was open a little crack, and you could see out.
1911 R. D. Saunders Col. Todhunter xi. 161 Then the front door was opened on the crack.
1969 L. Gish & A. Pinchot Lillian Gish vi. 62 The panel was lowered a crack, and the morning light Griffith had so adroitly created touched her face.
e. Mountaineering. A vertical fissure, too narrow to admit the whole body.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > land > landscape > low land > hole or pit > [noun] > chasm or cleft > narrow
chimney1871
crack1923
1923 G. D. Abraham First Steps to Climbing v. 57 At times the way may lie up narrow clefts or cracks which only give room for the jamming of an arm or a leg.
1957 R. W. Clark & E. C. Pyatt Mountaineering in Brit. ii. 42 The party found itself at the foot of the upper pitch, which was tackled by means of a thin crack which widened into a chimney.
f. to paper over the cracks: to use a temporary expedient; to create a mere semblance of order, agreement, etc.
ΘΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > hiding, concealing from view > keeping from knowledge > keep quiet about [phrase] > with temporary expedient
paper1910
to paper over the cracks1910
society > society and the community > dissent > absence of dissension or peace > bringing about concord or peace > become at peace with each other [verb (intransitive)] > appease strife or discord > create semblance of concord
to paper over the cracks1910
1865 Bismarck Let. 14 Aug. (1876) 65 Wir arbeiten eifrig an Erhaltung des Friedens und Verklebung der Risse im Bau.]
1910 Encycl. Brit. XI. 871/2 Neither power was quite prepared for war, and..the convention of Gastein, to use Bismarck's phrase, ‘papered over the cracks’.
1952 Ann. Reg. 1951 56 Mr. Bevan agreed to paper over the cracks for the period of the election.
1958 Listener 7 Aug. 213/3 Sir Malcolm did not succeed in papering over the cracks in the First Symphony.
8. Of things immaterial: A flaw, deficiency, failing, unsoundness.
ΘΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > imperfection > [noun] > an imperfection > defect or fault or flaw > immaterial
default1340
vicec1386
craze1534
crack1570
flaw1586
tincturea1640
mole1644
shortness1644
snag1830
1570 J. Dee in H. Billingsley tr. Euclid Elements Geom. Math. Præf. sig. Aijv Such, as so vse me, will finde a fowle Cracke in their Credite.
1598 W. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost v. ii. 415 My loue to thee is sound, sance cracke or flaw. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) i. ii. 324 I cannot Beleeue this Crack to be in my dread Mistresse. View more context for this quotation
1862 J. H. Burton Book-hunter (1863) 7 The man who has no defect or crack in his character.
9. The breaking of the voice; cracked or broken condition of voice.
ΘΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > quality of voice > [noun] > breaking of voice at puberty
cracka1616
a1616 W. Shakespeare Cymbeline (1623) iv. ii. 237 Though now our voyces Haue got the mannish cracke . View more context for this quotation
10. A flaw of the brain; a craze, unsoundness of mind.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > mental health > mental illness > degree or type of mental illness > [noun] > irrational loves and desires
crack1601
plutomania1652
hippomania1780
hydromania1803
zoomania1807
craze1813
musicomania1833
musomania1833
nostomania1835
gamomania1841
dipsomania1843
mesmero-mania1843
theomania1853
opsomania1857
potomania1858
opiomania1868
polemomania1874
xenomania1879
oenomania1897
Pygmalionism1905
urolagnia1906
claustrophilia1926
Undinism1928
leprophilia1953
leprophilia1963
thanatophilia1974
the world > health and disease > mental health > mental illness > [noun] > insanity or madness
woodnessc1000
woodshipc1000
madshipc1225
woodc1275
woodhead1303
ragec1330
amentiaa1398
madnessa1398
frenzy?a1400
madheada1400
maddingc1400
alienation?a1425
furiosity?a1475
derverye1480
forcenery1480
furiousnessc1500
unwitness1527
unwitting1527
demencya1529
straughtness1530
insaniea1538
brainsickness1541
lunacy1541
amenty1557
distraughtness1576
dementation?1583
straughtedness1583
insanity1590
crazedness1593
bedlam1598
dementia1598
insanation1599
non compos mentis1607
distraction1609
daffinga1614
disinsanitya1625
cerebrosity1647
vecordy1656
fanaticness1662
non-sanity1675
insaneness1730
craziness1755
hydrophobia1760
vecord1788
derangement1800
vesania1800
a screw loose1810
unsoundness1825
dementedness1833
craze1841
psychosis1847
crackiness1861
feyness1873
crack1891
meshugas1898
white ant1908
crackedness1910
pottiness1933
loopiness1939
wackiness1941
screwballism1942
kink1959
1601 J. Marston et al. Iacke Drums Entertainm. iii. sig. D4v Heere they come reeling..hauing a cracke in their heades.
1631 T. Powell Tom of All Trades 143 A man most subject to the most wonderfull Crack.
1710 R. Steele Tatler No. 178. ⁋2 The Upholsterer, whose Crack towards Politicks I have heretofore mention'd.
1891 Month 72 494 The crack in Laurence Oliphant's mind was growing wider.
III. Transferred and doubtfully derived senses.
†11. A lively lad; a ‘rogue’ (playfully), a wag.[Conjectured by some to be short for crack-hemp n., crack-halter n., crack-rope n., used playfully. Cf. also modern Icelandic krakki ‘urchin’.]
ΘΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > playful mischievousness > mischievous person > [noun] > young
monkey1589
crack1600
irchin1625
limb1625
imp1642
booger1728
varmint1773
hurcheon?a1786
puck1823
hellion1845
faggot1859
Peck's bad boy1883
1600 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 2 iii. ii. 30 When a was a Cracke, not thus high. View more context for this quotation
1601 B. Jonson Fountaine of Selfe-love ii. i. sig. D [Cupid and Mercury are disguised as Pages.] Mer... Since we are turn'd cracks, lets study to be like cracks: practise their language, and behauiours. View more context for this quotation
1615 T. Heywood Foure Prentises in Wks. (1874) II. 253 It is a rogue, a wag..A notable dissembling lad, a Cracke.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) i. iii. 70 Val. Tis a Noble childe. Virg. A Cracke Madam. View more context for this quotation
1640 ‘Ben-Arod Gad’ Wandering-Jew 40 Who is it, Joculo? A melancholy Hee-cat (sir) said the cracke, a wilde man.
1673 R. Head Canting Acad. 76 An arch Crack..had observed what counterfeit Rogues the major part of these were.
†12. [ < 4] A boaster, braggart, liar. Obsolete.
ΘΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > boasting or boastfulness > [noun] > boaster
yelper1340
avaunterc1374
braggerc1390
fare-makerc1440
seggerc1440
shakerc1440
vaunter1484
roosera1500
praterc1500
cracker1509
vouster?a1513
boaster1574
Thrasoa1576
braggarta1577
braver1589
glorioser1589
bragout1592
rodomont1592
braggadocio1594
gloriosoc1599
puckfist1600
burgullian1601
puff1601
forthputtera1610
rodomontado1609
ostentator1611
fanfaron1622
potgun1623
thrasonist1626
cracka1640
vapourer1653
braggadocian1654
rodomontadist1655
charlatan1670
brag1671
rodomontade1683
gasconader1709
rodomontader1730
Gascon1757
spread eagle1809
bag of wind1816
penny trumpeter1828
spraga1838
gasser1855
blow-hard1857
blower1863
crower1864
gabber1869
flannel-mouth1882
punk-fist1890
skiter1898
Tartarin1903
blow1904
skite1906
poofter1916
trombenik1922
shooter of lines1941
fat-mouth1942
wide-mouth1959
Wheneye1982
trash talker1986
braggarist-
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > [noun] > a liar
liarc950
gabbera1325
fabler1362
wernard1362
leasing-mongerc1380
false sayera1382
leasing-maker1424
leasing-bearerc1440
contriver1477
drivelard1530
falsifier1532
lie-teller1552
Ananias1572
lick-dish1575
falsificator1609
fabulist1626
cracka1640
leaser1641
commentiter1645
prevaricator1650
cracker1652
bugiarda1670
rapper1758
pseudologist1804
Tom Pepper1818
wrinkler1819
lie-monger1830
untruther1889
tale-teller1894
a1640 J. Day & H. Chettle Blind-beggar (1659) sig. F1 If I snip not off their Purses then call me crack.
1681 W. Robertson Phraseologia Generalis 405 A crack or boasting fellow, gloriosus.
13. [ < 5] One full of conversation. Scottish.
ΚΠ
1827 W. Scott Jrnl. 30 Jan. (1941) 15 A bauld crack that auld papist body.
1829 W. Scott Antiquary (new ed.) Advt. p. vii To be a gude crack, that is, to possess talents for conversation.
†14. [? < 8] A woman of broken reputation; a wench, a prostitute. Obsolete.
ΘΠ
society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > [noun] > sexual indulgence > unchaste behaviour of woman > unchaste or loose woman
queanOE
whorec1175
malkinc1275
wenchelc1300
ribalda1350
strumpeta1350
wench1362
filtha1375
parnelc1390
sinner14..
callet1415
slut?c1425
tickle-tailc1430
harlot?a1475
mignote1489
kittock?a1500
mulea1513
trulla1516
trully?1515
danta1529
miswoman1528
stewed whore1532
Tib1533
unchaghe1534
flag1535
Katy1535
jillet1541
yaud1545
housewife1546
trinkletc1550
whippet1550
Canace1551
filthy1553
Jezebel1558
kittyc1560
loonc1560
laced mutton1563
nymph1563
limmer1566
tomboy1566
Marian1567
mort1567
cockatrice1568
franion1571
blowze1573
rannell1573
rig1575
Kita1577
poplet1577
light-skirts1578
pucelle1578
harlotry1584
light o' lovea1586
driggle-draggle1588
wagtail1592
tub-tail1595
flirt-gill1597
minx1598
hilding1599
short-heels1599
bona-roba1600
flirt1600
Hiren1600
light-heels1602
roba1602
baggage1603
cousin1604
fricatrice1607
rumbelow1611
amorosa1615
jaya1616
open-taila1618
succubus1622
snaphancea1625
flap1631
buttered bun1638
puffkin1639
vizard1652
fallen woman1659
tomrigg1662
cunt1663
quaedama1670
jilt1672
crack1677
grass-girl1691
sporting girl1694
sportswoman1705
mobbed hood1707
brim1736
trollop1742
trub1746
demi-rep1749
gillyflower1757
lady of easy virtue1766
mot1773
chicken1782
gammerstang1788
buer1807
scarlet woman1816
blowen1819
fie-fie1820
shickster?1834
streel1842
charver1846
trolly1854
bad girl1855
amateur1862
anonyma1862
demi-virgin1864
pickup1871
chippy1885
wish-wife1886
tart1887
tartleta1890
flossy1893
fly girl1893
demi-mondaine1894
floozy1899
slattern1899
scrub1900
demi-vierge1908
cake1909
coozie1912
muff1914
tarty1918
yes-girl1920
radge1923
bike1945
puta1948
messer1951
cooze1955
jamette1965
skeezer1986
slutbag1987
chickenhead1988
ho1988
1677 T. D'Urfey Madam Fickle v. 57 He that you quarrel'd with about your Crack there.
1706 tr. J. B. Morvan de Bellegarde Refl. upon Ridicule 379 Her Beauty, Wealth and Birth, could not secure her from being consider'd as a Crack.
1715 J. Vanbrugh tr. F. C. Dancourt Country House ii. v My Sister was with me, and it seems he took her for a Crack.
1719 in T. D'Urfey Wit & Mirth V. 27 Cracks that Coach it now.
1785 F. Grose Classical Dict. Vulgar Tongue Crack, a whore.
†15. [ < 10] A crack-brain, a crazy fellow.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > mental health > mental illness > mentally ill person > [noun] > mad person
woodman1297
madmanc1330
lunatic1377
franticc1380
madwomana1438
March harec1500
Bedlam beggar1525
fanaticc1525
bedlama1529
frenetic1528
Jack o' Bedlam1528
Tom o' Bedlam1569
crack-brain1570
madbrain1570
Tom1575
madcap1589
gelt1596
madhead1600
brainsick1605
madpash1611
non compos1628
madling1638
bedlam-man1658
bedlamerc1675
fan1682
bedlamite1691
cracka1701
lymphatic1708
shatter-brain1719
mad1729
maniaca1763
non compos mentis1765
shatter-pate1775
shatter-wit1775
insane1786
craze1831
dement1857
crazy1867
crackpot1883
loony1884
bug1885
psychopath1885
dingbat1887
psychopathic1890
ding-a-ling1899
meshuggener1900
détraqué1902
maddiea1903
nut1908
mental1913
ding1929
lakes1934
wack1938
fruitcake1942
nutty1942
barm-pot1951
nutcake1953
nutter1958
nutcase1959
nut job1959
meshuga1962
nutsy1964
headcase1965
nutball1968
headbanger1973
nutso1975
wacko1977
nut bar1978
mentalist1990
a1701 C. Sedley tr. D. A. de Brueys & J. Palaprat Grumbler ii. xii, in Wks. (1722) II. 178 Is not that the Crack you turn'd away yesterday?
1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 251. ¶2 I cannot get the Parliament to listen to me, who look upon me, forsooth, as a Crack, and a Projector.
16. That which is the subject of boast or eulogy; that which is ‘cracked up’; a horse, player, ship, regiment, etc. of superior excellence: see crack adj.
ΘΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > excellent person or thing
carbunclea1350
swanc1386
phoenixc1400
diamondc1440
broocha1464
surmounterc1500
sovereign?a1513
primrose peerless1523
superlative1577
transcendent1593
Arabian birda1616
crack1637
first rate1681
peach1710
phoenicle1711
admiration1717
spanker1751
first-raterc1760
no slouch of1767
nailer1806
tip-topper1822
ripper1825
ripstaver1828
apotheosis1832
clinker1836
clipper1836
bird1839
keener1839
ripsnorter1840
beater1845
firecracker1845
pumpkin1845
screamer1846
stunner1847
bottler1855
beaut1866
bobby-dazzler1866
one out of the box1867
stem-winder1875
corker1877
trimmer1878
hot stuff1884
daisy1886
jim-dandy1887
cracker1891
jim-hickey1895
peacherino1896
pippin1897
alpha plus1898
peacherine1900
pip1900
humdinger1905
bosker1906
hummer1907
good egg1914
superstar1914
the berries1918
bee's knee1923
the cat's whiskers1923
smash1923
smash hit1923
brahma1925
dilly1935
piss-cutter1935
killer1937
killer-diller1938
a hard act to follow1942
peacheroo1942
bitch1946
brammerc1950
hot shit1960
Tiffany1973
bollocks1981
1637 J. Shirley Hide Parke iv. sig. G4 1st Gent. What dost thinke, Jockey? 2nd Gent. The crack oth'field's against you.
1673 J. Dryden Marriage a-la-Mode v. i. 70 He had nothing in him but meer Jocky..and was all for the crack of the field.
1703 English Spy 255 (Farmer) Most noble cracks and worthy cousin trumps.
1843 (title) Cracks of the Day [with engravings of celebrated race-horses].
1868 Daily Tel. 16 Apr. They were the ‘cracks’ of the regulars, as the Scottish and the London were the ‘cracks’ of the volunteers.
1881 Daily News 9 July 2 (Cricket) When the Harrow crack had made 90, he was badly missed at mid-off.
1886 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Aug. 227 Our leading counsel—we had engaged a couple of cracks—began to state our case.
17. [ < crack v. 11] Thieves' slang. A burglar; = cracksman n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > thief > burglar > [noun]
housebreakera1400
burglary1533
burglar1541
burglarer1598
mill1607
mill-ken1667
hoister1708
crack1749
cracksman1819
screwsman1819
screwer1831
crib-cracker1879
cracker1886
key worker1895
houseman1904
home invader1907
in and out man1961
1749 Apol. Life Bampfylde-Moore Carew (Farmer) No strange Abram, ruffler crack.
1857 Punch 31 Jan. 49/2 [Slang song] The High-toby, mob, crack and screeve model-school.
18. slang. Dry wood (from its sound in breaking, or burning). (Cf. crackmans n.)
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > fuel > wood as fuel > [noun] > kindling
hostry faggot1594
chat1670
fire faggota1722
hostry-wood1738
kindling wood1783
kindler1791
fire kindling1849
crack1851
split1858
1851 H. Mayhew London Labour I. 328/2 The next process is to look for some crack (some dry wood to light a fire).
19. half a crack: half a crown; two shillings and sixpence. slang.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > money > medium of exchange or currency > coins collective > English coins > [noun] > half-crown or thirty pennies
mancusOE
half-crowna1549
George1660
St George1661
slate1699
trooper1699
tosheroon1859
tosh1912
half a crack1933
1933 R. A. Knox Body in Silo xxiii. 237 So I hired the coat and hat and the rest of the outfit for half a crack from one of the artists.
1948 C. Day Lewis Otterbury Incident 85 A simple, ordinary coin of the realm, vulgarly known as half a crack or a demi-dollar.
20. [ < 1] A potent, crystalline form of cocaine made by heating a mixture of it with baking powder and water until it is hard, and breaking it into small pieces which are inhaled or smoked for their stimulating effect. slang (originally U.S.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > an intoxicating drug > [noun] > a) narcotic drug(s) > morphine, cocaine, or heroin > cocaine
cocaine1874
coke1908
happy dust1912
candy1925
nose candy1925
gold dust1931
Charley1935
girl1953
blow1971
rock1973
product1983
rock cocaine1984
crack1985
1985 San Francisco Chron. 6 Dec. 3/4 The cocaine freebase, the purest and most dangerous form of coke, goes by a number of street names—crack, rock, pasta, basa—and is smoked in a pipe rather than snorted.
1986 N.Y. Times 9 Mar. 50/2 John Pettinato..found used syringes in the church entryway. ‘People are doing crack in our hallways,’ he said, referring to a purified form of cocaine.
1986 Daily Tel. 28 May 1/4 Police found a plastic rubbish bag containing another handbag and a glass pipe used for smoking ‘crack’.
1986 U.S. News & World Rep. 11 Aug. 16/3 Crack..has rocketed from near obscurity to national villainy in the past six months.

Draft additions 1997

21. attributive and in other combinations (in sense 20).
crackhead n. [head n.1 13a] slang (originally U.S.) a person who habitually takes or is addicted to crack cocaine.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > drug addiction or craving > [noun] > drug addict > addicted to cocaine
cocainist1904
snow-bird1914
cokey1922
snifter1925
basehead1985
pipe head1985
crackhead1986
rock-head1987
1986 Time 2 June 17/1 A recent survey..indicates that..more than half the nation's so-called crackheads are black.
1988 Observer 24 July 15/1 Charlie and two fellow ‘crackheads’ took me to a vast concrete housing estate in south London where crack is on sale for between £20 and £25 a deal.
1991 P. J. O'Rourke Parl. of Whores (1992) 139 The crack-heads had their pockets emptied; their drugs, pipes, needles and paraphenalia given the bootheel and their money torn up in front of their faces.
crack house n. chiefly U.S. a place where crack is bought and sold.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > trading place > place where retail transactions made > [noun] > shop > shops selling other specific goods > narcotics or drug paraphernalia
head shop1966
rock house1984
crack house1985
1985 San Francisco Chron. 6 Dec. 3/6 In New York and Los Angeles drug dealers have opened up drug galleries called ‘crack houses’.
1989 Times 7 Sept. 16/6 Will they still be behind the campaign when in their electoral districts..drug-pushing single mothers..are thrown out of their crack-houses on to the streets?
1993 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 17 June a1/6 [He] was hauled out of his car outside a suspected crack house on Nov. 5. There was an argument over what he was holding.

Draft additions September 2004

crack whore n. (also crack ho) slang (originally in African-American usage) a prostitute addicted to crack cocaine.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > prostitution > [noun] > a prostitute
meretrixOE
whoreOE
soiled dovea1250
common womanc1330
putec1384
bordel womanc1405
putaina1425
brothelc1450
harlot?a1475
public womanc1510
naughty pack?1529
draba1533
cat1535
strange woman1535
stew1552
causey-paikera1555
putanie?1566
drivelling1570
twigger1573
punka1575
hackney1579
customer1583
commodity1591
streetwalker1591
traffic1591
trug1591
hackster1592
polecat1593
stale1593
mermaid1595
medlar1597
occupant1598
Paphian1598
Winchester goose1598
pagan1600
hell-moth1602
aunt1604
moll1604
prostitution1605
community1606
miss1606
night-worm1606
bat1607
croshabell1607
prostitute1607
pug1607
venturer1607
nag1608
curtal1611
jumbler1611
land-frigate1611
walk-street1611
doll-common1612
turn-up1612
barber's chaira1616
commonera1616
public commonera1616
trader1615
venturea1616
stewpot1616
tweak1617
carry-knave1623
prostibule1623
fling-dusta1625
mar-taila1625
night-shadea1625
waistcoateera1625
night trader1630
coolera1632
meretrician1631
painted ladya1637
treadle1638
buttock1641
night-walker1648
mob?1650
lady (also girl, etc.) of the game1651
lady of pleasure1652
trugmullion1654
fallen woman1659
girlc1662
high-flyer1663
fireship1665
quaedama1670
small girl1671
visor-mask1672
vizard-mask1672
bulker1673
marmalade-madam1674
town miss1675
town woman1675
lady of the night1677
mawks1677
fling-stink1679
Whetstone whore1684
man-leech1687
nocturnal1693
hack1699
strum1699
fille de joie1705
market-dame1706
screw1725
girl of (the) town1733
Cytherean1751
street girl1764
monnisher1765
lady of easy virtue1766
woman (also lady) of the town1766
kennel-nymph1771
chicken1782
stargazer1785
loose fish1809
receiver general1811
Cyprian1819
mollya1822
dolly-mop1834
hooker1845
charver1846
tail1846
horse-breaker1861
professional1862
flagger1865
cocodette1867
cocotte1867
queen's woman1871
common prostitute1875
joro1884
geisha1887
horizontal1888
flossy1893
moth1896
girl of the pavement1900
pross1902
prossie1902
pusher1902
split-arse mechanic1903
broad1914
shawl1922
bum1923
quiff1923
hustler1924
lady of the evening1924
prostie1926
working girl1928
prostisciutto1930
maggie1932
brass1934
brass nail1934
mud kicker1934
scupper1935
model1936
poule de luxe1937
pro1937
chromo1941
Tom1941
pan-pan1949
twopenny upright1958
scrubber1959
slack1959
yum-yum girl1960
Suzie Wong1962
mattress1964
jamette1965
ho1966
sex worker1971
pavement princess1976
parlour girl1979
crack whore1990
1990 M. McAlary Cop Shot iii. 67 A crack whore nicknamed Princess from the Forties Houses in South Jamaica had turned up dead.
1991 Washington Post (Nexis) 17 Nov. c3 The chaste, tender gesture towards the ‘crack ho’ at the end of that film cuts against the grain of everything that preceded it.
2003 Sunday Times (Nexis) 24 Aug. 12 That crack whore on the corner was not the former Madame Curie, driven to a life of prostitution by the evils of drugs.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1893; most recently modified version published online March 2021).

crackadj.

Brit. /krak/, U.S. /kræk/
Etymology: crack n. 16, used attributively.
colloquial or slang.
Pre-eminent, superexcellent, ‘first-class’.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective]
faireOE
bremea1000
goodlyOE
goodfulc1275
noblec1300
pricec1300
specialc1325
gentlec1330
fine?c1335
singulara1340
thrivena1350
thriven and throa1350
gaya1375
properc1380
before-passinga1382
daintiful1393
principala1398
gradelya1400
burlyc1400
daintyc1400
thrivingc1400
voundec1400
virtuousc1425
hathelc1440
curiousc1475
singlerc1500
beautiful1502
rare?a1534
gallant1539
eximious1547
jolly1548
egregious?c1550
jellyc1560
goodlike1562
brawc1565
of worth1576
brave?1577
surprising1580
finger-licking1584
admirablea1586
excellinga1586
ambrosial1598
sublimated1603
excellent1604
valiant1604
fabulous1609
pure1609
starryc1610
topgallant1613
lovely1614
soaringa1616
twanging1616
preclarent1623
primea1637
prestantious1638
splendid1644
sterling1647
licking1648
spankinga1666
rattling1690
tearing1693
famous1695
capital1713
yrare1737
pure and —1742
daisy1757
immense1762
elegant1764
super-extra1774
trimming1778
grand1781
gallows1789
budgeree1793
crack1793
dandy1794
first rate1799
smick-smack1802
severe1805
neat1806
swell1810
stamming1814
divine1818
great1818
slap-up1823
slapping1825
high-grade1826
supernacular1828
heavenly1831
jam-up1832
slick1833
rip-roaring1834
boss1836
lummy1838
flash1840
slap1840
tall1840
high-graded1841
awful1843
way up1843
exalting1844
hot1845
ripsnorting1846
clipping1848
stupendous1848
stunning1849
raving1850
shrewd1851
jammy1853
slashing1854
rip-staving1856
ripping1858
screaming1859
up to dick1863
nifty1865
premier cru1866
slap-bang1866
clinking1868
marvellous1868
rorty1868
terrific1871
spiffing1872
all wool and a yard wide1882
gorgeous1883
nailing1883
stellar1883
gaudy1884
fizzing1885
réussi1885
ding-dong1887
jim-dandy1888
extra-special1889
yum-yum1890
out of sight1891
outasight1893
smooth1893
corking1895
large1895
super1895
hot dog1896
to die for1898
yummy1899
deevy1900
peachy1900
hi1901
v.g.1901
v.h.c.1901
divvy1903
doozy1903
game ball1905
goodo1905
bosker1906
crackerjack1910
smashinga1911
jake1914
keen1914
posh1914
bobby-dazzling1915
juicy1916
pie on1916
jakeloo1919
snodger1919
whizz-bang1920
wicked1920
four-star1921
wow1921
Rolls-Royce1922
whizz-bang1922
wizard1922
barry1923
nummy1923
ripe1923
shrieking1926
crazy1927
righteous1930
marvy1932
cool1933
plenty1933
brahmaa1935
smoking1934
solid1935
mellow1936
groovy1937
tough1937
bottler1938
fantastic1938
readyc1938
ridge1938
super-duper1938
extraordinaire1940
rumpty1940
sharp1940
dodger1941
grouse1941
perfecto1941
pipperoo1945
real gone1946
bosting1947
supersonic1947
whizzo1948
neato1951
peachy-keen1951
ridgey-dite1953
ridgy-didge1953
top1953
whizzing1953
badass1955
wild1955
belting1956
magic1956
bitching1957
swinging1958
ridiculous1959
a treat1959
fab1961
bad-assed1962
uptight1962
diggish1963
cracker1964
marv1964
radical1964
bakgat1965
unreal1965
pearly1966
together1968
safe1970
bad1971
brilliant1971
fabby1971
schmick1972
butt-kicking1973
ripper1973
Tiffany1973
bodacious1976
rad1976
kif1978
awesome1979
death1979
killer1979
fly1980
shiok1980
stonking1980
brill1981
dope1981
to die1982
mint1982
epic1983
kicking1983
fabbo1984
mega1985
ill1986
posho1989
pukka1991
lovely jubbly1992
awesomesauce2001
nang2002
bess2006
amazeballs2009
boasty2009
daebak2009
beaut2013
1793 Ann. Agric. 19 95 [Sheep] called here [i.e. in Suffolk] a crack flock, which is a provincial term for excellent.
1807 W. Taylor in Ann. Rev. 5 186 Crack regiments.
1837 T. Hook Jack Brag II. v. 192 My sleeping-room..was the crack apartment of the hotel.
1839 W. M. Thackeray Fatal Boots (1869) 365 I was..such a crack-shot myself, that fellows were shy of insulting me.
1884 Christian World 14 Aug. 612/1 It wasn't..the crack speakers that brought the crowds up.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1893; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

crackv.

Brit. /krak/, U.S. /kræk/
Forms: Old English cracian, Middle English craky, chrakien, Middle English craken, (Middle English cracche), Middle English–1600s crake, crak, Middle English–1500s crakke, 1500s–1600s cracke, 1500s– crack.
Origin: A word inherited from Germanic.
Etymology: Common Germanic: Old English cracian ( < *krakôjan ) = Old High German krachôn , chrahhôn , Middle High German and modern German krachen , Middle Dutch crāken , modern Dutch and Low German kraken . Modern Dutch has also a by-form krakken , dialect High German kracken < Old Low German krakkôn . Compare also French craquer , cracquer in same sense (16th cent.), perhaps < German. The regular phonetic descendant of Old English cracian is crake (compare macian make v.1, wacian wake v.), which showed a tendency in 16th cent. to become a distinct form (in sense 6), and is now actually so used dialectally, e.g. in Essex. The form with short vowel has probably prevailed through the influence of the noun, and the continuous tendency to keep the word echoic, as in cuckoo; the modern Dutch and dialect German parallel form goes back to an early date.
originally. To make a dry sharp sound in breaking, to break with this characteristic sound; hence, in branch I, mainly or exclusively of the sound; in II, of the act of breaking.
I. Referring mainly to the sound.
1.
a. intransitive. To make a sharp noise in the act of breaking, or as in breaking; to make a sharp or explosive noise (said of thunder or a cannon (chiefly dialect), a rifle, a whip, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sharp or hard sound > [verb (intransitive)] > crack or snap
crackc1000
snap1673
yack1873
pistol1898
c1000 Ags. Ps. xlv[i]. 3 Us þuhte for þam geþune, þæt sio eorþe eall cracode.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 939 Banes þer crakeden [c1300 Otho crakede].
c1300 K. Alis. 4438 The speris craketh swithe thikke.
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xvi. xciv. 876 Comune salt crakkeþ and sparkeleþ in þe fuyre.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 3568 His heued bigines for to schake..And his bonis for to crac.
c1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 370 The thoner fast gan crak.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Ezek. xxi. 6 Mourne therfore yt thy loynes crack withall.
1563 W. Fulke Goodle Gallerye Causes Meteors iii. f. 23v Moist wood yt cracketh in ye fire.
1632 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy (ed. 4) ii. ii. iv. 281 Aurum fulminans..which shall..crack lowder then any Gunpowder.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth VII. 174 At every twist the bones of the buffalo were heard to crack.
1788 Trifler No. xxiv. 309 The whips of the postillions again cracked.
1871 B. Taylor tr. J. W. von Goethe Faust II. i. iii. 32 Trees..That tumble cracking.
b. colloquial. To shoot (with firearms), fire. Also with down (trans. and intr.).
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > discharge firearms [verb (intransitive)]
to let fly1611
gun1622
fire1635
pop1650
pluff1826
squib1831
crack1835
poop1915
loose1928
to turn on (or give) the heat1928
society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > fire (a gun) [verb (transitive)] > assail with gunfire
guna1679
crack1835
to shoot up1890
to light up1967
society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > fire (a gun) [verb (transitive)] > shoot (a person or thing)
shoot1617
to bird off1688
to knock downa1744
to pick off1745
pop1762
drill1808
plug1833
perforate1838
slap1842
stop1845
pot1860
spot1882
plunk1888
pip1900
souvenir1915
poop1917
spray1922
smoke1926
zap1942
crack1943
pot-shoot1969
1835 J. H. Ingraham South-West I. xix. 202 He would reload.., cock his beaver, take aim, and crack again.
1871 Standard 23 Jan. Skirmishers went forward and cracked at the retreating foemen.
1938 M. K. Rawlings Yearling iv. 31 I've helt back my shot... It goes agin me to crack down at sich a time.
1943 J. L. Hunt & A. G. Pringle Service Slang 25 Crack down, to shoot down (a Hun plane).
2. transitive. To cause (anything, e.g. a whip, one's thumb) to make a sharp noise.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sharp or hard sound > [verb (transitive)] > crack or snap
crack1647
snap1714
1647 R. Stapleton tr. Juvenal Sixteen Satyrs 45 The carter cracks his whip.
1696 tr. J. Dumont New Voy. Levant 275 Waiting-Women..who..crack all the Joynts of their Arms.
1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. II. 55 The post boy cracked his whip incessantly.
1877 W. Besant & J. Rice This Son of Vulcan (new ed.) i. viii. 96 Flourishing his stick, and cracking scornful fingers.
3.
a. To strike with a sharp noise; to slap, smack, box. Now dialect and colloquial.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > impact > striking > striking in specific manner > strike in specific manner [verb (transitive)] > so as to make a sound > with a sharp noise
crackc1470
c1470 J. Hardyng Chron. cv. iii [The] Danes all were..Without mercie cracked vpon the croune.
1852 H. B. Stowe Uncle Tom's Cabin I. iv. 45 She oughter cracked me over de head for bein' so sarcy.
1936 N. Coward To-night at 8.30 I. 96 Get out of here before I crack you one.
1936 N. Coward To-night at 8.30 II. 71 I should like to crack you over the head with a bottle.
1954 F. Sargeson in C. K. Stead N.Z. Short Stories (1966) 2nd Ser. 8 Good Lord... And did he crack you?
b. Cricket slang. To hit (a ball) hard with the bat.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > batting > bat [verb (transitive)] > hit > hit with specific stroke
take1578
stop1744
nip1752
block1772
drive1773
cut1816
draw1816
tip1816
poke1836
spoon1836
mow1844
to put up1845
smother1845
sky1849
crump1850
to pick up1851
pull1851
skyrocket1851
swipe1851
to put down1860
to get away1868
smite1868
snick1871
lift1874
crack1882
smack1882
off-drive1888
snip1890
leg1892
push1893
hook1896
flick1897
on-drive1897
chop1898
glance1898
straight drive1898
cart1903
edge1904
tonk1910
sweep1920
mishook1934
middle1954
square-drive1954
tickle1963
square-cut1976
slash1977
splice1982
paddle1986
1882 Daily Tel. 19 May Ulyett let out at Morley and cracked him hard to the on for a brace of 4's.
c. crack down v. to repress, to take strong measures against. Const. on, upon. colloquial.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > subjection > subjecting or subjugation > subject [verb (transitive)] > suppress, repress, or put down
nithereOE
adweschOE
overtreadOE
quellOE
to trample or tread under foot (also feet)c1175
adauntc1325
to bear downc1330
oppressc1380
repressc1391
overyoke?a1425
quencha1425
to bear overc1425
supprisec1440
overquell?c1450
farec1460
supprime1490
downbeara1500
stanch1513
undertread1525
downtread1536
suppress1537
to set one's foot on the neck of1557
depress?a1562
overbear1565
surpress1573
trample1583
repose1663
spiflicate1749
sort1815
to trample down1853
to sit on ——1915
to clamp down1924
crack down1940
tamp1959
1940 R. Graves & A. Hodge Long Week-end xiv. 225 The police had ‘cracked down hard’ on the London night-clubs.
1942 D. Gilbert Lost Chords 94 She would crack down upon him with all the force of a woman unjustifiably scorned.
1942 J. B. Priestley Black-out in Gretley iv. 56 Our people have cracked down rather severely on it just lately.
1947 ‘N. Shute’ Chequer Board 68 Keep them smart, 'n crack down on them if they're not dressed right.
1955 A. L. Rowse Expansion of Elizabethan Eng. i. 25 Rewarding good service..cracking down on negligence.
1968 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 17 Feb. 1/1 The Unemployment Insurance Commission will try to crack down on chisellers.
†4. intransitive. To break wind, crepitum reddere. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > organs of excretion > action of breaking wind > break wind [verb (intransitive)]
fartOE
fistc1440
to let a scape1549
to break wind1552
crepitate1623
crack1653
poop1689
roar1897
poot1940
1653 T. Urquhart tr. F. Rabelais 1st Bk. Wks. xxi. 90 Then he..belched, cracked, yawned..,and snotted himself.
1693 T. Urquhart & P. A. Motteux tr. F. Rabelais 3rd Bk. Wks. v. 54.
5. transitive. To utter, pronounce, or tell aloud, briskly, or with éclat; formerly in crack a boast, crack a word, crack a jest; and still in crack a joke.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > speak, say, or utter [verb (transitive)]
speakc825
queatheOE
forthdoc900
i-seggenc900
sayeOE
speak971
meleOE
quidOE
spella1000
forthbringc1000
givec1175
warpa1225
mootc1225
i-schirea1250
upbringa1250
outsay?c1250
spilec1275
talec1275
wisea1300
crackc1315
nevena1325
cast1330
rehearsec1330
roundc1330
spend1362
carpa1375
sermona1382
to speak outc1384
usea1387
minc1390
pronouncea1393
lancec1400
mellc1400
nurnc1400
slingc1400
tellc1400
wordc1400
yelpc1400
worka1425
utterc1444
outspeakc1449
yielda1450
arecchec1460
roose?a1475
cutc1525
to come forth with1532
bubble1536
prolate1542
report1548
prolocute1570
bespeak1579
wield1581
upbraid1587
up with (also mid) ——1594
name1595
upbrayc1600
discoursea1616
tonguea1616
to bring out1665
voice1665
emit1753
lip1789
to out with1802
pitch1811
go1836
to open one's head1843
vocabulize1861
shoot1915
verbal1920
be1982
the mind > emotion > pleasure > laughter > causing laughter > cause laughter [verb (intransitive)] > jest or joke
gameOE
jest1553
mow1559
cog1588
to break a jest1589
droll1654
joke1670
fool1673
crack a jest1721
crack a joke1753
pleasant1848
humorize1851
rot1896
kibitz1923
gag1942
c1315 Shoreham 99 Wordes that he craketh.
1402 T. Hoccleve Let. of Cupid 328 Kepe thyn owne what men clappe or crake!
c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Reeve's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 81 He craked boost and swoor it was noght so.
a1420 T. Hoccleve De Regimine Principum 3092 Not a worde dar he crake.
1508 Bp. J. Fisher Wks. (1876) 83 Myn enemyes craked and spake many grete wordes.
1596 E. Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene v. iii. sig. O4 And further did vncomely speaches crake [rhyme vndertake] . View more context for this quotation
a1637 B. Jonson tr. Horace Art of Poetrie 351 in Wks. (1640) III Or cracke out shamefull speeches, or uncleane.
1721 Visct. Bolingbroke Let. 28 July in J. Swift Lett. (1766) II. 224 He cracked jests.
1753 T. Smollett Ferdinand Count Fathom II. lxvi. 290 [He] would fain have cracked a joke upon their extraordinary dispatch.
1767 Babler I. 265 He..will..even..crack his indelicate ambiguities upon his children.
1860 W. M. Thackeray Thorns in Cushion in Roundabout Papers (1876) 47 Whilst the doctor..cracked his great clumsy jokes upon you.
6.
a. intransitive. To talk big, boast, brag; sometimes, to talk scornfully (of others). Now Obsolete or dialect.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > boasting or boastfulness > boast [verb (intransitive)]
yelpc888
kebc1315
glorify1340
to make avauntc1340
boast1377
brag1377
to shake boastc1380
glorya1382
to make (one's) boastc1385
crackc1470
avaunt1471
glaster1513
voust1513
to make (one's or a) vauntc1515
jet?1521
vaunt?1521
crowa1529
rail1530
devauntc1540
brave1549
vaunt1611
thrasonize1619
vapour1629
ostentate1670
goster1673
flourish1674
rodomontade1681
taper1683
gasconade1717
stump1721
rift1794
mang1819
snigger1823
gab1825
cackle1847
to talk horse1855
skite1857
to blow (also U.S. toot) one's own horn1859
to shoot off one's mouth1864
spreadeagle1866
swank1874
bum1877
to sound off1918
woof1934
to shoot a line1941
to honk off1952
to mouth off1958
blow-
c1470 J. Hardyng Chron. Ded. viii Ye Scottes will aye bee bostyng & crakyng.
a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xiii. 146 Hard I neuer none crak So clere out of toyne.
a1556 N. Udall Ralph Roister Doister (?1566) i. i. sig. A.iij All the day long is he facing and craking Of his great actes in fighting and fraymaking.
1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy ii. iii. ii. 389 What is it they crake so much of?
1633 T. Adams Comm. 2 Peter (ii. 1) 385 Thus the ringleaders begin..to cracke of their forces.
1702 C. Mather Magnalia Christi iii. i. i. 26/2 One that would much Talk and Crack of his Insight.
1716 J. Addison Drummer i. 3 Thou art always cracking and boasting.
1852 T. Carlyle Let. 15 Sept. in J. A. Froude T. Carlyle: Life in London (1884) II. xx. 107 My sleep was nothing to crack of.
1855 E. Waugh Sketches Lancs. Life (1857) 24 That's naut to crack on.
†b. with object clause. To boast. Obsolete.
ΚΠ
1545 G. Joye Expos. Daniel (ii.) f. 23v Thei bosted and craked religiously dreames to be shewed and declared of God.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VI f. cxxxjv Lorde how the Flemines bragged, and the Hollanders craked, that Calice should be wonne and all the Englishemen slain.
1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy ii. v. i. iii. 465 Which he..crackes to be a most soueraigne remedie.
1677 T. Gale Court of Gentiles: Pt. III 38 [The Stoics] crack that the duties of Virtue are therefore honest and desirable.
†c. transitive (with simple object) To boast of. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > boasting or boastfulness > utter boastfully [verb (transitive)] > boast of
roosec1175
avauntc1315
beyelpc1330
boastc1380
blazona1533
brag1588
ruff1602
crack1653
vapour1654
value1670
vauntc1696
gasconade1714
voust1794
to write home about1868
sing1897
1653 Brevis Disq. in Phenix (1708) II. 318 They continually crake the perpetual Consent of the Fathers.
d. to crack hardy (or hearty), to put a good face on, to assume or maintain a bold bearing; see also quot. 1916. Australian and New Zealand.
ΚΠ
1916 C. J. Dennis Songs Sentimental Bloke (new ed.) 120 Crack hardy, to suppress emotion; to endure patiently; to keep a secret.
1926 ‘J. Doone’ Timely Tips for New Australians To ‘crack hardy’, to simulate courage.
1929 K. S. Prichard Coonardoo xv. 142 He smiled gratefully to her for ‘cracking hardy’, pretending she was not tired.
1949 F. Sargeson I saw in my Dream i. xiv. 177 Daley's got a big family to keep... So he cracks hearty.
7.
a. intransitive. To converse briskly and sociably, chat, talk of the news (see the transitive ‘crake a word’ in sense 5). Scottish and northern dialect.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > conversation > converse [verb (intransitive)] > chat
dallyc1300
confablec1450
crack1529
tattle1547
chat1551
confabulate1604
confab1741
prosea1764
parleyvoo1765
coze1818
yarn1819
cosher1833
to pass a good morning1835
small-talk1848
mardle1853
cooze1870
chinwag1879
rap1909
kibitz1923
to shoot the breeze1941
old-talk1956
ole-talk1971
gyaff1976
gist1992
1529 D. Lindsay Compl. 235 Bot sum to crak, and sum to clatter.
a1605 A. Montgomerie Navigatioun 201 They tuik some curage, and begouth to crak.
1621 R. Henryson tr. Æsop Morall Fables (Hart) 37 As they were crackand [?a1500 carpand] in this case..In came the Ȝow, the mother of the Lam.
1786 R. Burns Twa Dogs xx, in Poems 16 The cantie, auld folks, crackan crouse.
1821 J. Clare Village Minstrel II. 115 He'd many things to crack on with his ale.
1887 R. L. Stevenson Underwoods ii. iv. 88 ‘Twa o' them walkin' an' crackin' their lane.’
b. quasi-transitive, with spoken words as object. To utter a crack (crack n. 5), to joke.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pleasure > laughter > causing laughter > cause laughter [verb (transitive)] > utter a jest or joke
jest?a1562
spring1686
crack1957
1957 H. Roosenburg Walls came tumbling Down (U.S. ed.) iii. 78 ‘I may be home before you,’ she cracked. ‘Just tell the Red Cross to come for me with an airplane.’
1958 Woman's Own 4 June 23/1 ‘Hello, Sister,’ he cracked. ‘What do you want to know about me? Name? Religion? Size in socks?’
8. transitive. crack up: to praise, eulogize (a person or thing). So to crack into (repute, etc.) Also (in passive), to be reputed (usually in negative sentences). colloquial.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > approval or sanction > commendation or praise > commend or praise [verb (transitive)]
heryc735
mickleeOE
loveOE
praise?c1225
upraisea1300
alosec1300
commenda1340
allow1340
laud1377
lose1377
avauntc1380
magnifya1382
enhancea1400
roosea1400
recommendc1400
recommanda1413
to bear up?a1425
exalt1430
to say well (also evil, ill, etc.) of (also by)1445
laudifyc1470
gloryc1475
advance1483
to bear out1485
prizec1485
to be or to have in laudationa1500
joya1500
extol1509
collaud1512
concend?1521
solemnize?1521
celebrate1522
stellify1523
to set up1535
well-word1547
predicate1552
glorify1557
to set forth1565
admire1566
to be up with1592
voice1594
magnificate1598
plaud1598
concelebrate1599
encomionize1599
to con laud1602
applauda1616
panegyrize1617
acclamate1624
to set offa1625
acclaim1626
raise1645
complement1649
encomiate1651
voguec1661
phrase1675
to set out1688
Alexander1700
talk1723
panegyricize1777
bemouth1799
eulogizea1810
rhapsodize1819
crack up1829
rhapsody1847
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > reputation > have reputation [verb (intransitive)] > be reputed as, for, or to be
famec1384
crack up1829
1829 Kentuckian 28 May He is not the thing he is cracked up for.
1835 D. Crockett Life Van Buren 175 Great men..are not the things they are cracked up for.
1836 Knickerbocker 8 51 New-Orleans is not..half so bad a place as it is ‘cracked up to be’.
1844 C. Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit xxxiii. 392 Our backs is easy ris. We must be cracked-up, or they rises, and we snarls..You'd better crack us up, you had!
1857 T. Hughes Tom Brown's School Days i. vi. 139 Then don't object to my cracking up the old school-house, Rugby.
1884 American 7 334 Mexico..is not what it has been cracked up to be.
1892 Standard 1 Jan. 3/3 Unfortunate individuals who are for a time ‘cracked’ into reputation by ill-advised patrons.
1939 War Illustr. 14 Oct. p. ii/2 An article from a Paris correspondent cracking up the blue-lit nights of Paris.
1951 E. Bagnold Loved & Envied 234 The emotions have been found by then to be not all they are cracked up to be.
1969 ‘A. Gilbert’ Missing from Home vii. 97 It's not always all it's cracked up to be.
II. Referring mainly to the breaking indicated by the sound.
9. transitive.
a. To break anything hard with a sudden sharp report; now chiefly of things hollow, a skull, a nut, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > breaking or cracking > break [verb (transitive)] > with a noise
crackc1300
to-clattera1375
crash?a1400
knack1546
scrash1640
c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 568 Hise croune he ther crakede Ageyn a gret ston.
c1300 Havelok (Laud) (1868) 914 Stickes kan ich breken and kraken.
1393 W. Langland Piers Plowman C. xxi. 76 Quikliche cam a cacchepol and craked a-two here legges.
1483 Cath. Angl. 80 To Crakk nuttes, nucliare.
1553 R. Eden tr. S. Münster Treat. Newe India sig. Mvjv To cracke the nutte, he must take the payne.
a1592 R. Greene Comicall Hist. Alphonsus (1599) i. sig. A3 Euery coward that durst crack a speare..for his Ladies sake.
1631 J. Weever Anc. Funerall Monuments 50 They crackt a peeces the glasse-windowes.
1859 Ld. Tennyson Enid in Idylls of King 31 Who heaved his blade aloft, And crack'd the helmet thro', and bit the bone.
1863 J. W. Draper Intell. Devel. Europe (1865) v. 111 [Diogenes] taking a louse from his head, cracked it upon her altar.
b. (from figurative use of the phrase to crack a nut: see nut n.1) To puzzle out, make out, solve, discuss.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > resolving of problem, solution > find solution, solve [verb (transitive)]
findOE
assoilc1374
soil1382
contrive1393
to find outc1405
resolvea1438
absolvea1525
solute?1531
solve?1541
dissolve1549
get1559
salvec1571
to beat out1577
sort1581
explicate1582
untiea1586
loose1596
unsolve1631
cracka1640
unscruple1647
metagrobolize1653
to puzzle out1717
to work out1719
to get around ——1803
to dope out1906
lick1946
to get out1951
a1640 J. Fletcher & P. Massinger Spanish Curat ii. ii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. E4 v/2 I'l come sometimes, and crack a case [at law] with ye.
1712 J. Swift To Dr. Sheridan When with much labour the matter I crackt.
1768 J. Wesley Wks. (1872) XII. 409 Logic you cannot crack without a tutor.
1937 R. Stout Red Box i. 4 It's a tough one, and I doubt if anyone could crack it but you.
1955 E. Hillary High Adventure viii. 148 If we didn't crack the route to the South Col pretty soon, we might as well go home.
1960 Analog Sci. Fact & Fiction Nov. 19/1 When the case of the Teleporting Juvenile Delinquents had come up he'd been assigned to that one too, and he'd cracked it.
1962 Listener 29 Nov. 931/2 A code message that will clear everything up when it is cracked.
1967 Technol. Week 23 Jan. 79/1 We are cracking the code of the life process.
c. To break or crush (corn, etc.) into small pieces. U.S.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > grinding or pounding > grind or pound [verb (transitive)]
grindc1000
i-ponec1000
britOE
poundOE
stampc1200
to-pounec1290
bruisea1382
minisha1382
bray1382
to-grind1393
beatc1420
gratec1430
mull1440
pestle1483
hatter1508
pounce1519
contuse1552
pounder1570
undergrind1605
dispulverate1609
peal1611
comminute1626
atom1648
comminuate1666
porphyrize1747
stub1765
kibble1790
smush1825
crack1833
pun1888
micronize1968
1833 [implied in: J. Boardman Amer. 16 Cracked corn is broken maize. (at cracked adj. 1b)].
1846 Jim Crack Corn (song) 2 Jim crack corn, I don't care, Ole Massa gone a—way.
1908 Bowman & Crossley Corn xiv. 335 The process of manufacturing consists, first, in running the shelled corn between rollers so that it is cracked open.
1946 Publ. Amer. Dial. Soc. vi. 33 To be able to crack corn, to be alive and feeling well. Humorous reply to ‘How are you?’
1981 N. P. Hardeman Shucks, Shocks & Hominy Blocks xii. 144 The custom was to ‘limber up’ the hominy block daily, cracking only as much corn as was needed for the day and the following morning's breakfast.
1982 S. B. Flexner Listening to Amer. 286 The cracker in Georgia cracker literally means a person who still cracks corn.
d. To surpass, break (a record).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > prosperity > advancement or progress > outdoing or surpassing > outdo or surpass [verb (transitive)] > surpass what has been done or exists > set a record > beat a record
to break (also beat) the record1880
break1909
crack1953
1953 Racing Times 15 July 4/4 I was fortunate..to see him crack the one-mile record in the Futurity Stakes.
10. transferred. To get at the contents of (a bottle or other vessel); to empty, drink, ‘discuss’.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > [verb (transitive)] > drink intoxicating liquor
pulla1450
to crush a cup of wine1592
to take one's rousea1593
crack1600
whiff1609
bezzle1617
bub1654
tift1722
bibulate1767
lush1838
do1853
lower1895
nip1897
sink1899
?15.. in Ritson Robin Hood ii. xxxvii. 60 They went to a tavern and there they dined, And bottles cracked most merrilie.
1600 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 2 v. iii. 63 Youle crack a quarte together, ha will you not. View more context for this quotation
1677 A. Yarranton England's Improvem. 164 And sometimes stay to crack a Pot or two with the good Host.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones II. vi. ix. 284 When two Gentlemen..are cracking a Bottle together at some Inn. View more context for this quotation
1777 Ann. Reg. 1775 (ed. 2) Characters 25/2 I think we may venture to crack another bottle.
1853 W. M. Thackeray Eng. Humourists iii. 125 [He] bragged about..the number of bottles that he..had cracked over night.
11. Thieves' slang. To break open. to crack a crib: to break into a house.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > burglary > burgle [verb (transitive)] > break into or open as burglar
crack1725
hoist1796
screw1819
jimmy1893
yegg1916
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > burglary > burgle [verb (intransitive)]
mill1567
housebreaka1822
to crack a crib1838
burglarize1947
1725 New Canting Dict. Crack, is also used to break open; as, To crack up a Door.
1819 J. H. Vaux New Vocab. Flash Lang. in Memoirs II. 165 Crack, to break open.
1838 C. Dickens Oliver Twist I. xix. 320 The crib's barred up at night like a jail, but there's one part we can crack.
1862 H. Kingsley Ravenshoe II. xi. 120 If any enterprising burglar had taken it into his head to ‘crack’ that particular ‘crib’ known as the Bridge Hotel.
12. figurative. To break (a vow, promise, etc.). Now dialect. to crack tryst (Scottish): to break or prove false to an engagement.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > agreement > observance > non-observance or breach > fail to observe [verb (transitive)]
breakOE
to-breaka1067
false1303
forleta1325
loosec1400
to fall from ——a1425
renouncec1450
violate?a1475
enfrain1477
failc1500
falsify1532
transverse1532
infringe1533
crack1576
recess1581
recant1585
digress1592
strain1592
burst1600
equivocate1629
falsy1629
forfeit1654
to break through1712
infract1798
waive1833
welsh1925
1576 A. Fleming tr. Erasmus in Panoplie Epist. 342 Cracking in sunder the conditions of that covenaunt.
1712 W. Rogers Cruising Voy. 256 He will crack a Commandment with her, and wipe off the Sin with the Church's Indulgence.
†13.
a. intransitive. To snap or split asunder. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > breaking or cracking > break [verb (intransitive)]
burstc1000
breakc1175
rendc1275
cracka1400
perbreak?a1400
crazec1430
twinc1450
frush1489
to fall apart1761
fracture1885
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) l. 7202 Sampson waked of his nap his bonde dud he al to crak.
?a1400 Morte Arth. 3269 With corowns of clere golde that krakede in sondire.
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde i. vi. f. 28v The hoopes of his barrels cracked and brake.
1745 P. Thomas True Jrnl. Voy. South-Seas 21 The..Rigging cracking and flying in Pieces.
1868 Ld. Tennyson Lucretius 38 All her [Nature's] bonds Crack'd.
b. transitive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > breaking or cracking > break [verb (transitive)]
breaka1000
forbreakc1000
shenec1000
burstc1250
disquattec1380
brasta1400
stonyc1440
to strike up1467
dirupt1548
unframe1548
disrump1581
split1597
crack1608
snap1679
fracture1767
disrupt1817
snop1849
1608 W. Shakespeare King Lear ix. 1 Blow wind & cracke your cheekes. View more context for this quotation
1635 A. Stafford Femall Glory sig. e6v Till..love-strain'd cries, Crackt her poore heart-strings.
†14. intransitive. Of persons: to come to a rupture, split, break off negotiations. Obsolete.
ΚΠ
1570 J. Foxe Actes & Monumentes (rev. ed.) II. 1844/1 Vpon these two matters they cracke.
15. figurative. To come to pieces, collapse, break down. (Cf. the bank broke.) Also frequently with up. Cf. crack-up n.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > race [verb (intransitive)] > collapse
crack1659
the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > fail or be unsuccessful [verb (intransitive)] > specifically of persons
miscarry1602
to come off bluely1654
to buy the rabbit1807
flunk1823
to go wrong1827
slip1890
to fall (also go) by the wayside1898
crack1918
to go down the tube(s)1963
1659 T. Burton Diary (1828) III. 99 They came into this House, and voted themselves a Parliament. They acted high in some things, and soon cracked.
1697 J. Dryden Ded. Æneis in tr. Virgil Wks. sig. (f)2 The Credit not only of Banks, but of Exchequers cracks, when little comes in, and much goes out.
1884 Graphic 13 Sept. 278/1 The first named [of the racing horses]..‘cracked’ some distance from home.
1891 Sportsman 8 July 8/4 Twice, however, the Dublin crew looked like ‘cracking’.
1918 F. M. Ford Let. 6 Jan. (1965) 86 I wrote about half a novel in the Salient, but got tired of it when I cracked up.
1922 Daily Mail 17 Nov. 11 She..looked all over the winner.., but when the pinch came she cracked up with dramatic suddenness.
1945 T. Rattigan Love in Idleness i. 268 Try to get him to let up just a little. After all, we don't want him cracking up on us, do we?
16.
a. intransitive. To break without complete separation or displacement of parts, as when a fracture or fissure does not extend quite across.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > breaking or cracking > break [verb (intransitive)] > crack, split, or cleave
chinea700
to-chinec725
cleavea1225
to-cleavec1275
rivec1330
to-slentc1380
to-sundera1393
cracka1400
rifta1400
chapc1420
crevec1450
break1486
slave?1523
chink1552
chop1576
coame1577
cone1584
slat1607
cleft1610
splita1625
checka1642
chicka1642
flaw1648
shale1712
vent1721
spalt1731
star1842
seam1880
tetter1911
a1400 Cov. Myst. xxxii. 325 For thrust [thirst] asundyr my lyppys gyn crake.
1675 W. Salmon Polygraphice (ed. 3) ii. xxii. 109 Some Colours as Lake, Umber and others..will crack when they are dry.
1688 G. Miege Great French Dict. ii. sig. N4/3 These Boards begin to crack.
a1691 R. Boyle Wks. (1772) I. 21 By misfortune it cracked in the cooling.
1776 W. Withering Brit. Plants (1796) IV. 243 When full grown the skin cracks and forms little scales.
1832 G. R. Porter Treat. Manuf. Porcelain & Glass 232 With a piece of heated wire..he traces a line upon the globe, and..wetting the line thus traced, the glass will crack and divide along the line.
1855 Jrnl. Royal Agric. Soc. 16 i. 174 Heat causes these soils to crack.
1874 Punch 9 May When the glaze on chinaware cracks, it is said technically to be crazed.
b. figurative. Of dawn: To break. U.S.
ΚΠ
1845 C. M. Kirkland Western Clearings (1846) 123 ‘When did you get home?’ pursued the inquirer. ‘Just as the east was cracking for daylight.’
17.
a. transitive. To break or fracture (anything) so that the parts still remain in contact but do not cohere. (Often contrasted with break in its full sense.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > breaking or cracking > break [verb (transitive)] > crack (but not break)
crazec1386
crack1609
flaw1665
star1787
mill1825
1609 Bp. J. Hall Medit. & Vowes (new ed.) I. §99 Glasses, that are once crackt, are soon broken.
a1716 O. Blackall Wks. (1723) I. xvi. 147 Money..so crack'd or broken that it will no longer pass in Payment.
1846 D. Jerrold Mrs. Caudle xiii. 45 There's four glasses broke and nine cracked.
1850 T. T. Lynch Memorials Theophilus Trinal xi. 217 'Tis like a ball that time hath crackt.
1893 N.E.D. at Crack Mod. The servants say it was cracked before.
b. To break into fissures; to fissure, cause to split.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > breaking or cracking > break [verb (transitive)] > crack, split, or fissure
to-slita1250
rivea1400
slatterc1400
chapc1460
chip1508
gaig1584
spleet1585
split1595
chink1599
chawn1602
slent1605
slat1607
sliver1608
speld1616
crevice1624
checka1642
chicka1642
crack1664
splice1664
sleave-
1664 J. Evelyn Kalendarium Hortense 81 in Sylva Look to your Fountain-pipes..lest the frosts crack them.
1698 J. Keill Exam. Theory Earth (1734) 73 For a long time after the formation of the Earth till the Sun had crackt the outward crust thereof.
1712 J. Swift Jrnl. to Stella 9 Oct. (1948) II. 562 The poor old Bp of London..I think broke or crackt his Scull.
1791 Gentleman's Mag. 61 ii. 1056 A..flash of lightning.. fell on the round tower of the church..the wall of which it cracked for the space of several feet.
1832 W. Macgillivray Trav. & Researches A. von Humboldt x. 122 The ground was every where cracked and dusty.
c. with off: transitive and intransitive.
ΚΠ
1665 R. Hooke Micrographia 43 Small..thick bubbles of Glass..being crack'd off from the Puntilion whilst very hot, and so suffered to cool without nealing.
1824 W. S. Landor Imaginary Conversat. II. v. 70 The varnish..cracked off.
18. transitive. To break the musical quality or clearness of (the voice); to render hoarse or dissonant, like a cracked bell. Also intransitive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > quality of voice > impart specific tone or quality [verb (transitive)] > render hoarse
exasperate1597
crack1602
hoarsen1748
asperate1858
hoarse1877
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > quality of voice > [verb (intransitive)] > break (of boy's voice)
changea1398
break1667
crack1893
1602 J. Marston Antonios Reuenge iv. v. sig. Iv He's hoarce: the poor boyes voice is crackt.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Timon of Athens (1623) iv. iii. 153 Cracke the Lawyers voyce, That he may neuer more false Title pleade. View more context for this quotation
1641 J. Milton Reason Church-govt. Concl. 62 With such a scholastical burre in their throats, as hath..crackt their voices for ever with metaphysical gargarisms.
1866 C. Kingsley Hereward the Wake II. i. 4 The old Viking's voice, cracked and feeble.
1893 N.E.D. at Crack Mod. He was a fine singer before his voice cracked.
19. figurative (from the consequence of cracking the skull): To injure (the brain); to render of unsound mind. Cf. cracked adj. 5.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > mental health > mental illness > drive mad [verb (transitive)]
turn1372
mada1425
overthrow?a1425
to go (also fall, run) mada1450
deferc1480
craze1503
to face (a person) out ofc1530
dement1545
distemper1581
shake1594
distract1600
to go (also run, set) a-madding (or on madding)1600
unwita1616
insaniate?1623
embedlama1628
dementate1628
crack1631
unreason1643
bemad1655
ecstasya1657
overset1695
madden1720
maddle1775
insanify1809
derange1825
bemoon1866
send (someone) up the wall1951
1631 B. Jonson Bartholmew Fayre iii. iv. 38 in Wks. II Alas! his care will goe neere to cracke him.
a1644 F. Quarles Solomons Recantation (1645) vii. 7 When wise men turn Oppressors, they have crackt Their understandings in the very Act.
1692 J. Locke Toleration iii. ii Having crack'd himself with an ungovernable Ambition.
1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 526. ⁋3 Lest this hard student should..crack his brain with studying.
20.
a. To damage (something immaterial) so that it can never again be sound; to ruin virtually.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > cause or effect (harm) [verb (transitive)] > do harm or injury to > affect detrimentally
atterc885
hurtc1200
marc1225
appair1297
impair1297
spilla1300
emblemishc1384
endull1395
blemishc1430
depaira1460
depravea1533
deform1533
envenom1533
vitiate1534
quail1551
impeach1563
subvert1565
craze1573
taint1573
spoil1578
endamage1579
qualify1584
stain1584
crack1590
ravish1594
interess1598
invitiate1598
corrupt1602
venom1621
depauperate1623
detriment1623
flaw1623
embase1625
ungold1637
murder1644
refract1646
depress1647
addle1652
sweal1655
butcher1659
shade1813
mess1823
puckeroo1840
untone1861
blue1880
queer1884
dick1972
forgar-
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene ii. i. sig. M8v He liues..Ne yet hath any knight his courage crackt.
1612 T. Taylor Αρχὴν Ἁπάντων: Comm. Epist. Paul to Titus iii. 1 Not that we call any man to the cracking of his estate.
1691 A. Wood Athenæ Oxonienses II. 95 [This]..hath much crak'd his Reputation.
1891 Spectator 6 July Natural effect here is only suggested, because full effect would crack the drawing convention.
b. esp. in to crack credit.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > detract from [verb (transitive)] > ruin reputation of
to crack credit1567
blast1607
lose1608
society > trade and finance > management of money > solvency > be solvent [verb (intransitive)] > be creditworthy > lose one's credit
to crack credit1567
1567 Test. & Trag. King Henrie Stewart (single sheet) Fra credite I crakit..No man wald trow the worde I did say.
1577 R. Holinshed Chron. II. 1847/2 They had of late delt so vniustly contrary to..the law of armes and thereby so greatly cracked their credits.
1677 A. Horneck Great Law of Consideration iv. 95 He asperses and seeks to crack the credit of this spotless Virgin.
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory iii. 266/2 Trust..not..the Borrower if once or twice he hath cracked his Credit.
III. Of sharp or sudden action.
21. transitive. To move with a stroke or jerk; to ‘whip’ out or on, snatch out, clap on. (colloquial)
ΚΠ
1540 T. Wyatt Let. xx, in K. Muir Life & Lett. (1963) 117 I reched to have set hand apon lettres..but he cawght them..and flang them..in to the fire. Yet I ouerthrew hym and crached them owt.
1850 W. B. Clarke Wreck of Favorite 10 Her commander had cracked on all the canvas she could carry.
1883 ‘M. Twain’ Life on Mississippi xi. 140 When the shoalest water was struck, he cracked on the steam.
1883 ‘M. Twain’ Life on Mississippi xxxix. 413 France and Italy..cracked on such a rattling impost that cotton-seed olive oil couldn't stand the raise.
1912 C. Mathewson Pitching vii. 145 The batter cracked out a base hit.
1912 C. Mathewson Pitching xi. 243 He cracked his now famous home run into the right-field bleachers.
22.
a. intransitive. To ‘whip’ on, ‘pelt’ along, travel with speed; Nautical to clap on full sail (colloquial)
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > move swiftly [verb (intransitive)]
lakeOE
flyOE
runOE
scour13..
jace1393
hie1398
spina1400
fleetc1400
glentc1400
stripc1400
suea1450
carryc1450
speed1488
scud1532
streek1598
winga1616
to clip it1616
hackney1617
swifta1618
whirryc1630
dust1673
whew1684
race1702
stroke1735
cut1797
spank1807
skid1815
speela1818
crack1824
skimmer1824
slap1827
clip1832
skeet1838
marvel1841
lick1850
travel1850
rush1852
zip1852
sail1876
rabbit1887
move1906
high-tail1908
to ball the jack1914
buzz1914
shift1922
giddap1938
burn1942
hoosh1943
bomb1966
shred1977
society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > use of sails, spars, or rigging > support (an amount of) sail [verb (intransitive)] > spread (more) sail > make all possible sail
to pack on1562
to crowd sail1687
to press (on) sail (also canvas)1750
crack1824
1824 P. Horry Life of Gen. Francis Marion (1833) xvii. 143 He would make nothing, at a hundred yards, to stop you a buck, at full tilt through the woods, as hard as he could crack it.
1835 T. C. Haliburton Clockmaker in Novascotian (Halifax) 3 Dec. 355/3 He must have cracked on near about as fast as them other geese.
1840 R. H. Dana Two Years before Mast xxxv. 133 [We] set the flying-jib and crack on to her again.
1847 Illustr. London News 31 July 74/2 The trio coming..as hard as they could crack.
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. To crack on, to carry all sail.
1890 W. C. Russell Ocean Trag. II. xix. 126 I doubt if anything will hinder the Colonel from cracking on when he catches sight of us.
b. Colloquial phrase to get cracking: to get started; to ‘get a move on’. Cf. get v. 31a. Also with noun or pronoun (or other object) interposed between get and cracking.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > undertaking > beginning action or activity > begin action or activity [verb (intransitive)] > resolutely or energetically
to go to it1490
busklea1535
settle1576
to lay on1587
to put in (also get into) one's gearsa1658
to put (occasionally lay, set) one's shoulder to the wheel1678
yark1721
to get going1822
to pitch in1835
to roll up one's sleeves1838
square1849
to clap on1850
to wire in (also away)1864
to dig in1884
hunker1903
tie into1904
to get cracking1937
to get stuck in1938
to get weaving1942
to get it on1954
1937 E. Partridge Dict. Slang 324/1 Get cracking, to begin work.
1938 ‘N. Shute’ Ruined City vi. 121 If I could get this yard cracking again I'd be a very happy man.
1943 H. Bolitho Combat Rep. 73 Dickie yawned and said, ‘Well, I must get cracking.’
1947 ‘N. Shute’ Chequer Board 190 I got the solicitor cracking on it before I left England.
1949 S. Gibbons Matchmaker xviii. 221 Come on, let's get cracking, we're late now.
1950 A. L. Rowse Eng. of Elizabeth v. 162 Norwich, which still had many void spaces.., is told to get cracking: if owners do not rebuild.. the corporation shall do so.
1957 E. Hyams Into Dream iii. vi. 234 ‘I'd better get cracking.’ ‘Very well. Take care of yourself.’
1969 New Yorker 12 Apr. 124/2 Before Dr. Latham can get cracking with his computer, someone at the Mission Control..will flip a switch.
23. transitive. To decompose (heavy oils such as petroleum) by the application of heat and high pressure alone or by means of a catalyst so as to produce lighter hydrocarbons (e.g. petrol) of better quality and with a better yield than can be obtained by distillation. (Cf. catalytic cracking n. at catalytic adj. and n. Compounds.)
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > oil refining or separating processes > [verb (transitive)]
crack1868
strip1922
sweeten1924
re-refine1973
1868 [see cracking n. at Derivatives].
1869 Amer. Jrnl. Sci. 97 13 Rapid distillation ‘cracks’ the oil, because it necessitates increased temperature to force the vapors from the still.
1958 Times 2 June p. v/4 The oil feedstocks are thermally cracked in the presence of steam to make a fixed gas and heavy tar.
24. transitive and intransitive. Of a door: to be slightly ajar; to leave slightly ajar. Cf. crack n. 7d. Chiefly U.S.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > condition of being open or not closed > open [verb (transitive)] > a door, gate, etc. > slightly
crack1899
1899 in Wentworth Amer. Dial. Dict. (1944) 139/2 Crack the door a little to let out the smoke.
1938 J. Rice Somers Inheritance iii. v. 135 The door leading into the Sunday School room was cracked open.
1964 Spectator 14 Feb. 205 Mr. Kennedy..made it his practice..to leave the door to his office cracked a little so that any personal assistant who felt the need to talk to him might walk right in.
IV. Phraseological use of the verb-stem.
25. to cry crack: to give up; to desist; to cry creak (creak v. Phrases 1).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ceasing > cease activity [verb (intransitive)]
i-swikec893
swikec897
atwindc1000
linOE
studegieOE
stintc1175
letc1200
stuttea1225
leavec1225
astint1250
doc1300
finec1300
blina1325
cease1330
stable1377
resta1382
ho1390
to say or cry ho1390
resta1398
astartc1400
discontinuec1425
surcease1428
to let offc1450
resista1475
finish1490
to lay a straw?a1505
to give over1526
succease1551
to put (also pack) up one's pipes1556
end1557
to stay (one's own or another's) hand1560
stick1574
stay1576
to draw bridle1577
to draw rein1577
to set down one's rest1589
overgive1592
absist1614
subsista1639
beholdc1650
unbridle1653
to knock offa1657
acquiesce1659
to set (up) one's rest1663
sista1676
stop1689
to draw rein1725
subside1734
remit1765
to let up1787
to wind (up) one's pirna1835
to cry crack1888
to shut off1896
to pack in1906
to close down1921
to pack up1925
to sign off1929
1888 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Robbery under Arms II. xii. 204 We..never cried crack till we got to Nulla Mountain, where we knew we were pretty safe.
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses ii. xii. [Cyclops] 293 He never cried crack till he brought him home as drunk as a boiled owl.

Derivatives

cracked adj.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > extracted or refined oil > [adjective] > refined or distilled mineral oil
cracked1884
wide-cut1888
stripped1931
re-refined1932
steam-cracked1962
1884 S. F. Peckham Rep. on Petroleum 179 The standard and prime oils, consisting largely of ‘cracked’ oils.
1922 Encycl. Brit. XXXII. 80/2 Cracked gasoline.
1934 Chem. Abstr. 28 7504 The use of antioxidants in the stabilization of cracked gasolenes.
ˈcracking n.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > working with specific materials > oil refining or separating processes > [noun]
re-refining1864
cracking1868
stripping1922
sweetening1924
Platforming1949
Powerforming1956
steam cracking1959
1868 B. Silliman in Chem. News 10 Apr. 171/1 By the process called ‘cracking’, heavy oils unfit for illumination are broken up into bodies of less density, from light naphtha to the heavier illuminating and lubricating oils.
1896 B. Redwood Treat. Petroleum I. 317 The ‘cracking process’, whereby a considerable quantity of the oil which is intermediate between kerosene and lubricating oil is converted into hydrocarbons of lower density and boiling point, suitable for illuminating purposes.
1922 Encycl. Brit. XXXII. 80/1 Modern cracking dates back to the patent obtained in 1889 by the late Sir Boverton Redwood and Prof. Dewar.
1930 Economist 12 July 87/2 At Tampico a new vapour-phase cracking plant is being erected for the production of high~grade gasoline.
1947 Archit. Rev. 101 132/1 To make water gas, which may be enriched to the required calorific value by cracking gas oil in the plant.
1952 Economist 6 Sept. 581 Government's inquiry about degrading the cracking units.
1959 Times Rev. Industry Aug. 70/2 Thermal ‘cracking’..evolved to increase the quantity of gasoline obtainable from any given volume of crude oil.
1967 W. F. Bland & R. L. Davidson Petrol. Processing Handbk. iii. 62 Catalytic cracking and catalytic reforming..have replaced their thermal counterparts in most of the present-day refineries.

Draft additions December 2004

colloquial (originally and chiefly U.S.). to crack wise: †(a) to speak wisely or cleverly (obsolete); (b) to utter a witticism or clever remark, esp. at another's expense; to make a wisecrack; cf. wisecrack n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > intelligence, cleverness > wit, wittiness > wit with words > utter a quip [verb (intransitive)]
to crack wisea1774
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > intelligence, cleverness > wit, wittiness > wit with words > sarcasm > be sarcastic [verb (intransitive)]
quip1542
slent1567
quib1580
to crack wisea1774
to wise off1943
wisecrack1946
a1774 R. Fergusson Poems (1956) II. 154 The eidant muse begins to crack wise, An' ne'er cry dule.
1910 Nevada State Jrnl. 10 Nov. 4/3 The person that watches you go though a card trick and then cracks wise and exposes you at the end.
1946 M. Mezzrow & B. Wolfe Really Blues v. 59 He was all hopped up, cracking wise, acting big.
1975 W. Kennedy Legs 63 Jack Diamond was always cracking wise about the guineas and nobody is going to say that Joe Vignola is a yellow-bellied guinea.
2000 W. Self How Dead Live (2001) iv. 95 Now every little Cockney punk you meet cracks wise, kvetches, shmoozes and cheats.

Draft additions March 2006

colloquial. to crack up.
a. intransitive. To burst out laughing; to laugh unrestrainedly.
ΚΠ
1942 C. R. Bond Jrnl. 23 Mar. in T. Anderson Flying Tiger's Diary (1984) v. 131 We got the funniest..story out of Moose Moss... We cracked up.
1976 A. Schroeder Shaking it Rough xxix. 94 Both of us just crack up, just let go and convulse with laughter.
1996 C. J. Stone Fierce Dancing xiv. 208 Soon the whole café was cracking up, screaming with laughter.
b. transitive. To cause to burst out laughing, to amuse greatly.
ΚΠ
1966 R. Goldstein 1 in 7: Drugs on Campus iii. 41 I said, ‘What's the matter, haven't you ever seen a gentleman before?’ and that really cracked them up.
1984 New Yorker 29 Oct. 44/2 I wasn't laughing at you—honest..! That statue always cracks me up.
2002 Hotdog June 86/2 I'd start giggling to myself, thinking about what Angel would be saying right now. I could hear her takes on things, it cracked me up.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1893; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

crackadv.int.

Brit. /krak/, U.S. /kræk/
Etymology: The verb stem so used.
A. adv.
With a crack, with a cracking sound. (Cf. bang v.1 8, bump adv., etc.)
ΘΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sharp or hard sound > [adverb] > crack or snap
snap1583
crack1767
crick-crack1835
1767 ‘Coriat Junior’ Another Traveller! II. 18 Crack! went the whip, and away flew the horses!
1807 R. Southey Lett. from Eng. II. 269 Crack went his whip, and we were off.
1892 Sat. Rev. 2 July 10/2 Crack went the mast.
B. int.
ΘΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sharp or hard sound > [interjection] > crack or snap
crack1698
1698 J. Vanbrugh Æsop ii. i I'se get our wife Joan to be the queen's chambermaid; and then—crack says me I! and forget all my acquaintance.
1756 T. Amory Life John Buncle I. 263 Crack! all is gone and vanished on a sudden.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1893; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

> see also

also refers to : crack-comb. form
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n.a1387adj.1793v.c1000adv.int.1698
see also
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