English Dictionary
Definition of “crack”
crack (kræk
)
Definitions
verb
- to break or cause to break without complete separation of the parts ⇒
the vase was cracked but unbroken
- to break or cause to break with a sudden sharp sound; snap ⇒
to crack a nut
- to make or cause to make a sudden sharp sound ⇒
to crack a whip
- to cause (the voice) to change tone or become harsh or (of the voice) to change tone, esp to a higher register; break
- informal to fail or cause to fail
- to yield or cause to yield ⇒
to crack under torture
- (tr) to hit with a forceful or resounding blow
- (tr) to break into or force open ⇒
to crack a safe
- (tr) to solve or decipher (a code, problem, etc)
- (tr) informal to tell (a joke, etc)
- to break (a molecule) into smaller molecules or radicals by the action of heat, as in the distillation of petroleum
- (tr) to open (esp a bottle) for drinking ⇒
let's crack another bottle
- (intr) Scottish Northern England dialect to chat; gossip
- (tr) informal to achieve (esp in the phrase crack it)
- (tr) Australian informal to find or catch ⇒
to crack a wave in surfing
- See crack a smile
- See crack hardy
- See crack the whip
noun
- a sudden sharp noise
- a break or fracture without complete separation of the two parts ⇒
a crack in the window
- a narrow opening or fissure
- informal a resounding blow
- a physical or mental defect; flaw
- a moment or specific instant ⇒
the crack of day
- a broken or cracked tone of voice, as a boy's during puberty
- (often foll by at) informal an attempt; opportunity to try ⇒
he had a crack at the problem
- slang a gibe; wisecrack; joke
- slang a person that excels
- Scottish Northern England dialect a talk; chat
- slang a processed form of cocaine hydrochloride used as a stimulant. It is highly addictive
- craicinformal mainly Irish fun; informal entertainment ⇒
the crack was great in here last night
- obsolete slang a burglar or burglary
- See crack of dawn
- See a fair crack of the whip
- See crack of doom
adjective
- (prenominal) slang first-class; excellent ⇒
a crack shot
Word Origin
Old English cracian; related to Old High German krahhōn, Dutch kraken, Sanskrit gárjati he roars
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
hit,
clip,
slap,
smack,
thump,
buffet,
clout,
cuff,
whack,
wallop,
chop,
=
solve,
work out,
resolve,
interpret,
clarify,
clear up,
fathom,
decipher,
suss (out)
get to the bottom of,
disentangle,
elucidate,
get the answer to=
break,
chink,
gap,
breach,
fracture,
rift,
cleft,
crevice,
fissure,
cranny,
interstice,
=
blow,
slap,
smack,
thump,
buffet,
clout,
cuff,
whack,
wallop,
clip,
Translations
- British English:
crack
A crack is a very narrow gap between two things.I could see him through a crack in the curtains.kræk NOUN I could see him through a crack in the curtains.
- Spanish:
grieta
nf
- French:
fente
nf
- German:
Riss
nm
- Chinese: 缝隙 n
- Arabic: صَدْع n
- Portuguese: racha nf
- Russian: трещина nf
- Croatian: raspuklina nf
- Czech: prasklina nf
- Danish: revne nutr
- Dutch: barstje nnt
- Finnish: murtuma n
- Greek: ρωγμή nf
- Italian: frattura nf
- Japanese: すき間 n
- Korean: 균열 n
- Norwegian: sprekk nm
- Polish: pęknięcie nnt
- Brazilian Portuguese: rachadura nf
- European Spanish:
grieta
nf
- Swedish: spricka nutr
- Thai: รอยแตก n
- Turkish: çatlak n
- Vietnamese: vết nứt n
- British English:
crack
A crack is a line on the surface of something when it is slightly damaged.There was a crack in the plate.kræk NOUN There was a crack in the plate.
- Spanish:
crack
nm
- French:
fêlure
nf
- German:
Crack
nnt
- Chinese: 裂缝 n
- Arabic: شَقّ n
- Portuguese: craque nm
- Russian: крэк nm
- Croatian: krek nm
- Czech: crack nm
- Danish: crack nutr
- Dutch: crack nm
- Finnish: crack n
- Greek: κρακ nnt
- Italian: crack nm
- Japanese: 割れ目 n
- Korean: 강력 코카인 n
- Norwegian: crack nm
- Polish: crack nm
- Brazilian Portuguese: rachadura nf
- European Spanish:
crack
nm
- Swedish: crack nnt
- Thai: โคเคน n
- Turkish: krak n
- Vietnamese: cô-ca-in crack n
- British English:
crack
If something cracks or if you crack it, it becomes damaged, and lines appear on the surface where it has broken.The window cracked.kræk VERB The window cracked.
- Spanish:
agrietar
v
- French:
fendre
v
- German:
zerspringen
v
- Chinese: 破裂 vi
- Arabic: يَتَصَدَّعُ vi
- Portuguese: quebrar vi
- Russian: трескать vi
- Croatian: napuknuti v
- Czech: naštípnout v
- Danish: revne v
- Dutch: instorten vi
- Finnish: murtua v
- Greek: ραγίζω v
- Italian: spaccarsi v
- Japanese: 割れる v
- Korean: 금이 가다 vi
- Norwegian: sprekke v
- Polish: pęknąć vi pękać
- Brazilian Portuguese: quebrar vi
- European Spanish:
agrietar
v
- Swedish: spricka vi
- Thai: แตกร้าว vi
- Turkish: çatlamak vi
- Vietnamese: làm rạn nứt v
Usage examples
Through a crack in the back door I could see the anteroom to Michel's office was empty.
Robert Wilson, A DARKENING STAIN (2002)Given the press Scooby-Doo 2 received, it's no wonder Sarah Michelle Gellar's taking another crack at scary movies.
Maxim (2004)Pedophile rings always have been difficult to crack , Prof. Sumner said.
Globe and Mail (2003)There are also signs that Howard's domestic support, initially strong, has started to crack.
Glasgow Herald (2001)I left the window, crouched next to the stone and shone the light into the crack.
Tracy Chevalier, THE VIRGIN BLUE (2002)
