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   Crack

   /krak/

   

   noun

   • 1. a line on the surface of something along which it has split without breaking into separate parts: "a hairline crack down the middle of the glass" Similar splitfissurecrevicebreakfracturerupturebreachriftcleftslitchinkgapcrannyintersticerare:crazing
   • ▪ a narrow space between two surfaces, especially ones that have broken or been moved apart: "he climbed into a crack between two rocks" Similar splitfissurecrevicebreakfracturerupturebreachriftcleftslitchinkgapcrannyintersticerare:crazing
   • ▪ a vulnerable point; a flaw: "the company spotted a crack in their rival's defenses"
   • ▪ the cleft between the buttocks: informal "your butt crack should not be visible when you squat"
   • 2. a sudden sharp or explosive noise: "a loud crack of thunder" Similar bangreportexplosiondetonationclappopsnapcrackleknocktapclashcrashsmashsmackinformal:whamwhump
   • ▪ a sharp blow, especially one that makes a noise: "she gave the thief a crack over the head with her rolling pin" Similar blowbanghitpunchknockthumprapbumpthwacksmackslapweltcuffboxinformal:bashwhackclobbercloutclipwallopbelttanbiffbopsocklamwhompsloshboffbustslugwhaledongdated:buffet
   • ▪ a sudden harshness or change in pitch in a person's voice: "the boy's voice had an uncertain crack in it"
   • 3. a joke, typically a critical or unkind one: informal "he knew about the gossip and would make the odd crack" Similar jokewitticismfunny remarkwitty remarkjestquippunsallypleasantryepigramaphorismreparteebanterbon motjibebarbjeersneertauntinsultcutting remarkslightaffrontslurinsinuationinformal:one-linergagwisecrackfunnydig
   • 4. enjoyable social activity; a good time: Irish "he loved the crack, the laughing"
   • ▪ a conversation: Scottish, Northern English "they are having a great crack about shooting"
   • 5. an attempt to gain or achieve something: informal "I thought I had a crack at winning" Similar attempttryeffortendeavorventureinformal:goshotstabwhackwhirlformal:essayarchaic:assay
   • ▪ a chance to attack or compete with someone: "he wanted to have a crack at the enemy"
   • 6. a hard, crystalline form of cocaine broken into small pieces and smoked: "he uses crack and cocaine"

   verb

   • 1. break or cause to break without a complete separation of the parts: "the ice all over the lake had cracked" Similar splitfracturefissurerupturebreaksnapcleaverare:craze
   • ▪ break or cause to break open or apart: "his face cracked into a smile"
   • ▪ break (wheat or corn) into coarse pieces.
   • ▪ open slightly: "gingerly, he cracks open his door"
   • ▪ give way or cause to give way under torture, pressure, or strain: "the witnesses cracked and the truth came out" Similar break downgive waycave incrumblecollapsego to pieceslose controlyieldsuccumbfounderinformal:fall/come apart at the seams
   • 2. make or cause to make a sudden sharp or explosive sound: "a shot cracked across the ridge" Similar go bangbangpopsnapcracklecrashthudthumpboomring outclapexplodedetonate
   • ▪ knock against something, making a noise on impact: "she winced as her knees cracked against metal"
   • ▪ hit (someone or something) hard, making a sharp noise: "she cracked him across the forehead" Similar hitstrikebeatthumphammerknockrappoundthudpunchbumpthwacksmackslapslamweltcuffpummelbuffetbox someone's earsinformal:bashwhackclobbercloutclipwallopbelttanbiffbopsocklamwhompsloshboffbustslugwhaledong
   • ▪ (of a person's voice, especially that of an adolescent boy or a person under strain) suddenly change in pitch: "“I want to get away,” she said, her voice cracking"
   • 3. find a solution to; decipher or interpret: informal "a hacker cracked the codes used in internet software" Similar solvefind an/the answer tofind a/the solution toresolvework outpuzzle outfathomfind the key todecipherdecodebreakclear upinterprettranslatestraighten outget to the bottom ofmake head or tail ofunraveldisentangleuntangleunfoldpiece togetherelucidateinformal:figure outsuss out
   • ▪ break into (a safe).
   • 4. tell (a joke): "he cracked jokes which she didn't find very funny"
   • 5. decompose (hydrocarbons) by heat and pressure with or without a catalyst to produce lighter hydrocarbons, especially in oil refining: "catalytic cracking"

   adjective

   • 1. very good, especially at a specified activity or in a specified role: "he is a crack shot"

   Word Origin Old Englishcracian ‘make an explosive noise’; of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kraken and German krachen. crack (sense 4 of the noun) is from Irish craic ‘entertaining conversation’.

   Scrabble Points: 13

   • C

     3

   • R

     1

   • A

     1

   • C

     3

   • K

     5

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