crack

crack1 [ kræk ] verb **

▸ 1 break so line appears

▸ 2 break something open

▸ 3 make short loud noise

▸ 4 hit part of body hard

▸ 5 solve problem/mystery

▸ 6 lose control of yourself

▸ 7 when voice shakes

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) transitive to damage something so that a line or long narrow hole appears on its surface, but it does not break into pieces:

I dropped a plate and cracked it.

She cracked several ribs and broke her arm skiing.

a ) intransitive if something cracks, a line or long narrow hole appears on its surface, but it does not break into pieces:

The ice was starting to crack at the edges.

The egg cracked open and a little chick struggled out.

2. ) transitive to deliberately break something open in order to get what is inside:

They used a hammer to crack open the coconuts.

3. ) intransitive to make a short sudden loud noise like a small explosion:

Thunder cracked overhead.

a ) crack your knuckles to deliberately pull your fingers so that they make a short loud sound

b ) transitive to make a whip make a short sudden loud noise

4. ) transitive to accidentally hit a part of your body against something with a lot of force:

Dad fell and cracked his head against the door.

a ) transitive to hit someone on the head with a lot of force: CLOUT, WHACK:

She cracked him over the head with a frying pan.

5. ) transitive to solve a complicated problem or find the answer to a mystery:

Detectives believe they are near to cracking the case.

It was a code that seemed impossible to crack.

6. ) intransitive to lose control of yourself and say or do things you would not normally say or do, for example, because you are tired or you have been threatened:

Heston never cracked, even when they tortured him.

crack under the pressure/strain: She won the game because her opponent cracked under the pressure.

7. ) intransitive if your voice cracks, it goes higher and lower, and you cannot control it, especially because of a strong emotion or because you are going to cry

crack a book/the books INFORMAL

to read or study:

You'd better start cracking the books if you want to pass the test.

crack a joke INFORMAL

to tell a joke:

He was very relaxed, smiling and cracking jokes.

crack something open INFORMAL

to open a bottle or can of alcoholic drink

crack a safe

to succeed in opening a SAFE in order to steal what is inside it

crack a smile

to begin smiling

crack the whip INFORMAL

to try to make people work harder or faster

get cracking INFORMAL

to start doing something or going somewhere immediately:

We'll have to get cracking if we want to get there before dark.

,crack `down phrasal verb intransitive

to start dealing with someone or something much more strictly:

crack down on: The school is cracking down on smoking.

,crack `up phrasal verb INFORMAL

1. ) intransitive to become mentally ill:

He just cracked up from the stress.

2. ) intransitive to suddenly laugh a lot at something:

The girls all cracked up when they saw him.

a ) transitive to make someone laugh a lot:

Little kids just crack me up with the things they say.

something is not all it's cracked up to be INFORMAL

used for saying that something is not as good as people say that it is

crack

crack 2 [ kræk ] noun **

▸ 1 line where something breaks

▸ 2 narrow opening

▸ 3 sign something is weak/failing

▸ 4 rude/insulting joke

▸ 5 short loud noise

▸ 6 hard hit on part of body

▸ 7 attempt

▸ 8 illegal drug

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) count a line on a surface where something is beginning to break apart:

Many old buildings have cracks in their walls.

hairline crack (=an extremely thin crack): Hairline cracks appear in the paint when it dries too quickly.

2. ) count a narrow opening between two things or parts of things:

She peered out through the crack in the curtains.

3. ) count a sign that an organization, relationship, or plan is weak or beginning to fail:

events which deepened the cracks in the monarchy

cracks start to appear (in something): After only a year cracks started to appear in their marriage.

4. ) count INFORMAL a rude or insulting joke about someone or something:

Some of the students were making cracks about her appearance.

=> WISECRACK

5. ) count a short sudden loud noise like a small explosion:

the sharp crack of a single gunshot

6. ) count INFORMAL a hard hit on a part of your body:

He got a nasty crack on the head.

7. ) count INFORMAL an attempt to do something:

have/take a crack at (doing) something: We thought we'd have a crack at running our own business.

8. ) crack or crack cocaine uncount a pure form of the illegal drug COCAINE:

crack addicts

at the crack of dawn

extremely early in the morning:

I was up at the crack of dawn trying to finish my essay.

slip/fall through the cracks

to not be dealt with by a system that is designed to help you or stop you doing something

what's the crack? BRITISH INFORMAL

used for asking someone what is happening or what has happened recently

=> PAPER 3

crack

crack 3 [ kræk ] adjective only before noun

very skillful, especially as a result of being trained well:

soldiers in a crack regiment

a crack shot (=someone who is very accurate in shooting a gun): She's a crack shot with a rifle.