# crack

Pronunciation: say "KRAK" /kɹæk/

## Noun

1. A thin, usually jagged opening that appears in something once solid.
   - Simple: A thin gap or split that opens up in something hard, like a wall or a cup.
   - _A crack appeared in the ceiling after years of settling._
   - _Water seeped through a crack in the concrete foundation._
4. A potent, cheap, and highly addictive form of cocaine, usually shaped into hard rocks and smoked through a pipe.
   - Simple: A strong, cheap, and very addictive form of the drug cocaine, usually smoked as small rocks.
   - _The clinic treats many patients trying to quit crack._
   - _Dealers sold crack on that corner for years._
7. An attempt at doing or achieving something. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A try at doing something.
   - _He decided to take a crack at writing a novel._
   - _Give the new recipe a crack this weekend._
10. A sharp, sudden sound, such as that of a whip, a gunshot, or something solid breaking or snapping.
   - Simple: A short, sharp, loud sound, like a whip or something hard breaking.
   - _A sharp crack echoed through the forest as the tree fell._
   - _The crack of the whip startled the horses._
11. A program or technique used to bypass software restrictions or limits on use.
   - Simple: A program or trick used to get past the locks or limits on software.
   - _The forum was shut down for distributing a crack for the accounting software._
   - _A crack circulated online within hours of the program's release._
13. A narrow opening, such as the gap between a door and its frame.
   - Simple: A narrow opening or gap between two things.
   - _A cold draft slipped through the crack under the door._
   - _He slid the note through a crack in the fence._
21. The cleft or groove between the buttocks. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: The narrow space between a person's buttocks.
   - _His low-slung jeans revealed his crack whenever he crouched._
   - _Sand got stuck in his crack after he sat on the beach._
22. Something so good-tasting or enjoyable that it becomes hard to stop, as if addictive. *(slang)*
   - Simple: Something so tasty or fun that you can't seem to stop.
   - _Her homemade caramel popcorn is basically crack at every party._
   - _Fans call the game crack because nobody can put it down._
23. A sharp, hard blow that produces a loud, ringing sound.
   - Simple: A hard, sudden hit that makes a loud sound.
   - _The goalie took a hard crack on the helmet from a slap shot but stayed in the game._
   - _She gave the jammed lid a sharp crack with the heel of her hand._
24. A sudden break or change of pitch in a voice, caused by emotion, strain, or the changes of puberty.
   - Simple: A sudden break in someone's voice, from strong feeling or as a young person's voice changes.
   - _The crack in his voice betrayed how young he still was._
   - _Listeners noticed the crack creeping into the choirboy's high notes._
25. A sharply humorous or mocking remark.
   - Simple: A quick, funny, and slightly mean comment.
   - _He couldn't resist a crack at his rival's expense._
   - _She made a crack about the boss's new haircut._
26. Lively fun, good conversation, news and gossip, and enjoyable company. *(dialectal, Ireland, Northern England, Scotland)*
   - Simple: Fun, good talk, news, and a good time with others.
   - _The pub was full of music and crack until closing time._
   - _She came along just for the crack and the company._

## Verb

2. To break, or make something break, so that a thin split or line appears in it without its coming fully apart, often from force, heat, pressure or age.
   - Simple: To break so that thin lines or splits appear, or to make something break this way.
   - _The plaster will crack if the wall keeps shifting._
   - _The leather seats had cracked after years in the heat._
3. To break open or into pieces through impact or stress, or to make something break this way.
   - Simple: To break open or into pieces, or to break something open by hitting it.
   - _He cracked the lobster shell to get at the meat inside._
   - _You can crack the coconut by striking it along its middle._
5. To find the solution to a difficult or puzzling problem.
   - Simple: To find the answer to a hard problem.
   - _Analysts cracked the enemy's code during the war._
   - _She wants to crack the mystery of the missing files._
6. To break into or get around a security system or protection, such as a safe, a password, or the copy or region locks on software or a device.
   - Simple: To get past a lock or security system, such as a safe, a password or the protection on software.
   - _Burglars crack modern safes using sound sensors and patience._
   - _She cracked the building's alarm system before anyone noticed._
8. To tell a joke, or to make a quick witty or mocking remark.
   - Simple: To tell a joke, or to say something quick and funny.
   - _The host cracked a joke about the weather to open the show._
   - _He would crack jokes whenever the meeting grew tense._
12. To barely reach or get into a particular figure, level or ranking. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To just manage to reach a certain number, level or list.
   - _Their debut single never cracked the Top 40._
   - _Few rookies crack 100 rushing yards in their first game._
14. To open something slightly, leaving a small gap.
   - Simple: To open something just a little bit.
   - _He cracked the window an inch to release the heat._
   - _Crack the lid so the steam can escape._
16. To open a canned drink, or any packaged drink or food. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To open a can or package of food or drink.
   - _She cracked a bottle of sparkling water to celebrate._
   - _Once the tent is up, let's crack a few cans by the fire._
15. To lose control or give in under pressure, especially to confess under questioning; also, to make someone give in this way.
   - Simple: To give in or fall apart under pressure, for example by telling a secret when questioned, or to make someone do this.
   - _After three days without sleep, the prisoner cracked and confessed._
   - _Strong witnesses rarely crack under aggressive cross-examination._
17. To make a sharp, sudden noise like that of something snapping or striking hard.
   - Simple: To make a short, sharp sound, like a stick breaking.
   - _Overhead, thunder cracked and rolled across the valley._
   - _When he connects, you can hear the bat crack all the way up in the bleachers._
18. To strike something or someone forcefully.
   - Simple: To hit something hard.
   - _The officer cracked the suspect across the shins with his baton._
   - _Players who crack opponents with their elbows get penalized._
19. Of a voice, to break suddenly or change pitch without control, as from emotion, strain, or the changes of puberty.
   - Simple: When a voice cracks, it suddenly goes high or breaks, from strong feeling or as a boy grows up.
   - _The boy's voice cracked mid-sentence, swinging from a squeak to a low rumble._
   - _As puberty sets in, voices crack unpredictably for months._
20. To cause something to produce a sharp, sudden sound.
   - Simple: To make something give a sharp, sudden sound.
   - _The driver cracked the whip and the team lurched forward._
   - _He likes to crack his knuckles before a big game._

## Adjective

9. Of the highest quality; expert, skilled, or first-rate.
   - Simple: Very skilled, or among the very best of its kind.
   - _He was a crack swimmer who dominated every race._
   - _She proved a crack accountant, spotting errors everyone else missed._

## Other meanings

- (verb) To break down a complex molecule into simpler ones, especially by applying heat.
- (verb) To come to understand that you are transgender, often after a period of doubt.
- (verb) To talk about yourself in a proud, showy way.
- (verb) To break down or come to nothing, losing strength or value.
- (verb) To have sexual intercourse with someone.
- (noun) A vulgar word for a woman's genitals.
- (noun) Current goings-on, such as local news or gossip, as in 'what's the crack?'.
- (noun) A white ring of water that spreads out just behind the dark slick after a large blast not far below the surface, linked to the blast's shock wave.
- (noun) A friendly conversation or talk.
- (noun) Wildly absurd or ridiculous ideas or writing, especially fan fiction.
- (noun) A slight weakness of mind, or a touch of madness.
- (noun) A person who seems mad or foolish.
- (noun) Bragging talk, or a single brag.
- (noun) A lapse in sexual purity.
- (noun) A cheeky, spirited young lad.
- (noun) A very short moment of time.
- (noun) An attempt to flirt with someone or win them over romantically.
- (noun) Wood that has been dried and is ready to burn.
- (noun) A top performer, such as a champion racehorse.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–8, 10–26** — From Middle English craken, from Old English cracian ('to resound, crack'), tracing back through Proto-West Germanic *krakōn ('to crack, crackle, shriek') to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to resound, cry hoarsely'. It is related to Dutch kraken, German krachen, and Scots crak.
**Meaning 9** — Recorded as slang from 1793. One idea links it to the verb's meaning of acting fast or smartly. Another links it to boastful talk, as when a person has reason for pride.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/crack (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).