cracking

adj. very good, exciting, or impressive.

adj. denoting excellence or high quality. Primarily British in register and informal in tone.

“We had a cracking time at the party last night.”

“The striker scored a cracking goal from thirty yards out, securing a last-minute victory for the home team.”

Informal · British English

adj. moving at a very fast speed.

adj. characterised by high speed or rapid progress.

“The car drove past us at a cracking pace.”

“The project moved along at a cracking pace once the additional funding was approved by the board.”

Informal

n. the process of lines or breaks appearing on a surface.

n. the physical process of developing fissures or fractures in a material.

“The old walls showed signs of cracking after the dry summer.”

“Structural engineers were called in to assess the severe cracking in the building's foundation following the minor earthquake.”

Technical

n. a way of breaking down oil to make petrol.

n. the process whereby complex organic molecules are broken down into simpler molecules such as light hydrocarbons.

“Cracking is an important step in making fuel for cars.”

“Fluid catalytic cracking remains one of the most important conversion processes used in modern petroleum refineries.”

Technical

adv. used to mean 'very' when you are praising something.

adv. an intensifier used to modify adjectives, typically carrying a positive or impressive connotation.

“That was a cracking good read.”

“It was a cracking good performance by the lead actor, who managed to capture the character's internal struggle perfectly.”

Informal · British English

v. the action of breaking slightly or making a sharp noise.

v. the present participle of crack; used for the act of fracturing or producing a sudden sharp noise.

“I could hear the wood cracking in the fireplace.”

“The sound of ice cracking under the weight of the vehicle sent a wave of panic through the rescue team.”