Crack \Crack\ (kr[a^]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cracked
(kr[a^]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. Cracking.]
[OE. cracken,
craken, to crack, break, boast, AS. cracian, cearcian, to
crack; akin to D. kraken, G. krachen; cf. Skr. garj to
rattle, or perh. of imitative origin. Cf. Crake,
Cracknel, Creak.]
1. To break or burst, with or without entire separation of
the parts; as, to crack glass; to crack nuts.
2. To rend with grief or pain; to affect deeply with sorrow;
hence, to disorder; to distract; to craze.
O, madam, my old heart is cracked. --Shak.
He thought none poets till their brains were
cracked. --Roscommon.
3. To cause to sound suddenly and sharply; to snap; as, to
crack a whip.
4. To utter smartly and sententiously; as, to crack a joke.
--B. Jonson.
5. To cry up; to extol; -- followed by up. [Low]
To crack a bottle, to open the bottle and drink its
contents.
To crack a crib, to commit burglary. [Slang]
To crack on, to put on; as, to crack on more sail, or more
steam. [Colloq.]
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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