crack
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a thin line on the surface of something that is starting to break.
n.a narrow opening or fissure formed by the parting of a solid substance.
Simple“There is a small crack in the window, so we should be careful not to touch it.”
In context“The structural engineer identified a hairline crack in the foundation that suggested the building was settling unevenly.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a try or an attempt at doing something.
n.an attempt or try at a particular activity, often used with the verb 'have' or 'take'.
Simple“I've never played this game before, but I'll have a crack at it.”
In context“Despite her lack of experience in marketing, she decided to take a crack at designing the new campaign herself.”
UsageUsually appears in the phrases 'have a crack at' or 'take a crack at'.
- 04 C1 Advanced
n.fun, entertainment, or good conversation with friends.
n.social interaction characterized by fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation.
Simple“We went to the pub for the music and the great crack.”
In context“The evening was full of good crack, with stories and laughter lasting well into the night.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is specifically associated with Irish and Northern English culture; it is often spelled 'craic' in an Irish context.
- 05 B1 Intermediate
v.to break something just enough that thin lines appear on the surface.
v.to cause a fissure to appear in a solid object without complete separation of the parts.
Simple“The heat caused the old stone walls to crack.”
In context“If you pour boiling water into a cold glass, the sudden temperature change will likely crack it.”
- 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to find the answer to a very difficult problem or code.
v.to find a solution to a complex problem or to decipher a code or security system.
Simple“It took the team three weeks to crack the secret code.”
In context“Detectives finally managed to crack the case after a new witness came forward with crucial information.”
- 07 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to lose control or give up because of too much stress or questioning.
v.to suffer a mental or physical breakdown, or to yield under intense psychological pressure or interrogation.
Simple“The suspect started to crack after hours of questioning by the police.”
In context“Under the immense pressure of the championship final, the young athlete finally began to crack.”
- 08 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to say something funny or tell a joke.
v.to utter a witty or humorous remark, typically used with 'joke' or 'smile'.
Simple“He is always cracking jokes to make people feel better.”
In context“Even in the middle of a crisis, she managed to crack a smile and keep the team's spirits up.”
UsageCommonly used in the collocations 'crack a joke' or 'crack a smile'.
Synonymstellquip - 09 B2 Upper Intermediate
- 10 C1 Advanced
adj.describing a person or team that is the best and very well trained.
adj.possessing great skill, agility, or excellence; typically used to describe elite military or professional units.
Simple“The government sent in a crack team of experts to handle the emergency.”
In context“A crack squad of paratroopers was deployed to secure the airfield before the main force arrived.”
UsageUsually placed before the noun it modifies.
Antonyms
“A crack in the road in East Nusa Tenggara after the quake.”
“A stray marble caught between the cracks of the floorboards?”
From Middle English crakken, craken, from Old English cracian (“to resound, crack”), from Proto-West Germanic krakōn, from Proto-Germanic krakōną (“to crack, crackle, shriek”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gerh₂- (“to resound, cry hoarsely”). Cognate with Scots crak (“to crack”), West Frisian kreakje (“to crack”), Dutch kraken (“to crunch, creak, squeak”), Low German kraken (“to crack”), German krachen (“to crash, crack, creak”), Lithuanian gi̇̀rgžděti (“to creak, squeak”), Old Armenian կարկաչ (karkačʻ), Sanskrit गर्जति (gárjati, “to roar, hum”). Compare typologically English crevice (<< Latin crepō), Bulgarian пукнатина (puknatina) (akin to пу́кам (púkam)), Russian тре́щина (tréščina) (akin to треск (tresk)), щель (ščelʹ) (akin to щёлкать (ščólkatʹ)).
Slang first attested 1793, perhaps from the verb in the sense of doing something quickly or with intelligence, or in the sense of "speaking boastingly" and having something to be proud of.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.