From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcrackcrack1 /kræk/ ●●● S2 W2 verb 1 BREAKbreak [intransitive, transitive]BREAK to break or to make something break, either so that it gets lines on its surface, or so that it breaks into pieces Don’t put boiling water in the glass or it will crack. Concrete is liable to crack in very cold weather. He picked up a piece of rock and cracked it in half. She fell and cracked a bone in her leg. He cracked a couple of eggs into a pan.► see thesaurus at break2 LOUD SOUNDsound [intransitive, transitive]C to make a quick loud sound like the sound of something breaking, or to make something do this Thunder cracked overhead. He cracked his whip and galloped off. Dennis rubbed his hands together and cracked his knuckles.3 HIT somethinghit [transitive]HIT to hit someone or something hardcrack something on something I slipped and cracked my head on the door. She cracked him over the head with a hammer.4 LOSE CONTROLnot be able to continue [intransitive]MICRAZY to be unable to continue doing something because there is too much pressure and you do not have the mental strength to continuecrack under Some young executives crack under the pressure of having to meet tough sales targets every month. He cracked under interrogation and confessed.5 VOICEvoice [intransitive]EMOTIONAL if your voice cracks, it starts to sound different because you are feeling strong emotions His voice cracked slightly as he tried to explain. 6 SOLVEsolve/understand [transitive] to find the answer to a problem or manage to understand something that is difficult to understand SYN solve I think we’ve cracked the problem of the computer crashing all the time. It took them nearly two months to crack the code. This new evidence could help detectives to crack the case.7 stop somebody [transitive] informalDESTROY to stop a person from being successful Political enemies have tried to crack me.8 open a safeSTEAL [transitive]SCCSTEAL to open a safe illegally in order to steal the things inside it9 computer [transitive] to illegally copy computer software or change free software which may lack certain features of the full version, so that the free software works in the same way as the full version You can find out how to crack any kind of software on the web.10 → crack it11 → crack a joke12 → crack a smile13 → crack open a bottle14 → get cracking15 → crack the whip16 → something is not all/everything it’s cracked up to be → crack down → crack into something → crack on → crack up→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
crack• The international banking system began to crack.• Don't put delicate china in the dishwasher - it may crack.• Harding missed seven weeks of baseball practice after cracking a rib.• Her stiff joints cracked as she got out of her easy chair.• A strong earthquake cracked buildings in northwest China.• A few windows cracked from the heat during the fire.• Mary cracked her knee on the corner of her desk.• Jim cracked his head on the bottom of the bunkbed.• He slipped and cracked his head on the steps.• Freeman cracked his skull in the accident.• Koeman was involved everywhere and cracked in a 35-yard shot which cannoned back off the post after 48 minutes.• It's a tough case but I'm determined to crack it.• A stone hit the windshield and cracked it.• Give Tom a mathematical puzzle and he'll just keep on trying till he cracks it.• Milken's voice cracked on the first word. "Guilty, your honor."• I cracked one of the wine glasses when I was washing it.• From 27 February, eight score draws will no longer be enough to crack open the champagne.• Hereford usually crack or collapse in the dying minutes.• But forgive him if his voice cracks or he stumbles over a word.• Historians used the Rosetta stone to crack the code of Egyptian hieroglyphics.• Detectives finally cracked the murder case.• This would be the day that I finally cracked the North Shore.• Hold the egg in your hand and gently crack the shell with a knife.• It's the first time the Spartans have cracked the top 20 in the rankings.• Cowboys cracked their whips as they herded cattle.• If I don't get some time off soon, I'll be so stressed I'll crack up.• The sheeting - you know, the polythene sounded like whips cracking when the wind got into it.cracked ... knuckles• Between moves he cracked his knuckles.• He sighed a lot, stretched his legs, cracked his knuckles.• Dennis put his glass down and cracked his knuckles dramatically.crack ... code• Paul used his computer to crack the code and continued as before.• What they must do to achieve that is crack the code that enables them to win the big match.crackcrack2 ●●● S3 noun 1 THIN SPACEOPENgap [countable] a very narrow space between two things or two parts of somethingcrack between He squeezed into a crack between two rocks.crack in He could see them through a crack in the door. She opened the door a crack and peeped into the room.► see thesaurus at hole2 BREAKBREAKbreak [countable] a thin line on the surface of something when it is broken but has not actually come apartcrack in There were several small cracks in the glass.3 weakness [countable] a weakness or fault in an idea, system, or organizationcrack in The cracks in their relationship were starting to show. The first cracks are beginning to appear in the economic policy.4 soundC [countable] a sudden loud sound like the sound of a stick being brokenloud/sharp crack There was a sharp crack as the branch broke off.crack of We could hear the crack of gunfire in the distance. a crack of thunder5 JOKE/REMARKjoke [countable] informal a clever joke or rude remarkcrack about I didn’t like his crack about her being overweight. He’s always making cracks about how stupid I am. 6 CHANCE/OPPORTUNITYattempt [countable] informal an attempt to do something SYN shotcrack at I’d like a crack at climbing that mountain. The competition’s open to anyone – why don’t you have a crack?7 DRUGdrug [uncountable]MDD an illegal drug that some people take for pleasure crack addicts8 body [countable] informal the space between someone’s buttocks9 → a crack on the head10 → a crack in somebody’s voice11 → the crack of dawn12 computer [countable] a piece of information or computer code that lets you illegally change free software which may lack certain features of the full version, so that the free software works in the same way as the full version13 → a fair crack of the whip14 another spelling of craicExamples from the Corpus
crack• Cracks began to appear in the facade of their perfect family.• This cup has a crack in it.• Even with the car windows left open a crack, the temperature inside can reach 120 degrees in less than 30 minutes.• But somehow her name had slipped through some bureaucratic crack.• Long chains of tiny craters on Phobos suggest the drainage of regolith into deep cracks that riddle its interior.• There are a few cracks in the plaster.• Of course it would be ideal to have a material in which it was impossible to initiate cracks at all.• Jagged cracks cut across the thick glass arch over the main entryway.• As I hit the floor, I heard a loud crack in my arm.• There was a loud crack of thunder as the storm began.• Goons run rampant; crack is dealt on every corner of the Bronx, and law enforcement is something of a joke.• The X-ray showed several cracks in the bone of her left leg.• The branch broke with a sudden crack.• Then ants would crawl through the cracks in the floor and build a big nest in the middle of the bedroom.• Through the crack under the door I could smell Shelly loud and clear.• The crack in the bedroom wall seems to be widening.• Shirley has been addicted to crack for four years.• Thus mild steel structures, for instance, can generally put up with cracks at least a metre long without breaking.opened ... a crack• But Belle heard the footsteps coming towards her and opened her eyes a crack to see the huge leather shoes next to her.• I crossed the room and opened the door a crack.• The kitchen door opened a crack and a servant, her head bound tightly in blue cloth, peeked into the room.• Spotting a hatch in the far wall, she walked across and gingerly opened it a crack.• But the preacherman had opened up a crack, and got into her greymass.• The oak trunk opened, cracked by the forces of the earth.• Other doors were opened just a crack, just enough to see eyes glowing in the darkness.• As the door to understanding this Wonderland opened a crack, many researchers rushed in.cracks ... appear• It took time for the first cracks to appear.• In hot summer weather this frequently happens and, when drying is rapid, hair cracks appear.• However, if cracks do appear, you should try brushing a mixture of peat or compost and coarse sand into them.• The raft was defective and settlement occurred causing serious cracks to appear in the houses.• But then cracks began to appear again, as Quakers' discipline slipped.loud/sharp crack• I was telling myself that it would soon be over when I heard a sharp crack.• Sometimes a sharp crack and something falling into darkness.• A strong wind was now blowing and there was a loud crack of thunder.• The bomb detonated with a sharp crack, sending tiny but razor-sharp pieces of metal into the backs of the gun crews.• The umbrella fell to the floor with a sharp crack of the ferrule on the tile.• Just as they reached it, the hinges surrendered and ripped loose with a loud crack.• And sharp cracks in the distance, which could be ice or trees or could be the earth itself.• We're used to the sharp cracks of lightning and the belch of thunder issuing from the belly of the sky.have a crack• We'd have cracked somebody's head if we'd used them.• Terence's face went from being startled by his attack to astonishment, then might have cracked into a smile.• There was not one timber which did not have cracks and splints.• Luke, however, who was a genius with difficult horses, begged to be allowed to have a crack at her.• I requested colleagues to have a crack at him all to no avail.• The consortium's spokesman Chris Rowley claims his group is the only one to have cracked the retuning problem.• We have a crack now and again.• If he had smiled a moment sooner Hicks would have cracked his skull.crackcrack3 adjective [only before noun] 1 GOOD/EXCELLENTwith a lot of experience and skill crack troops a crack regiment a crack sportsman2 → crack shotExamples from the Corpus
crack• It was undeniably dead. perhaps it had been stunned by a penalty kick from a crack centre-forward.• Like crack cocaine for the soul, Charlie's Angels delivers shameful, addictive, and no doubt tremendously harmful fun.• In recent weeks, drugs squad officers have seized quantities of crack cocaine in Gloucester and Stroud.• A man found at the house, Ronald Lerma, 29, was arrested on suspicion of possessing a crack cocaine pipe.• When he did, the passenger, Jerry Wilson, dropped crack cocaine to the ground.• An attitude, a tattoo and a supply of crack cocaine.• She's an accomplished horse rider and a crack shot.Origin crack1 Old English cracian 