cracking Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a sudden sharp noise
    snap; crack.
    • the crack of a whip
    • he heard the cracking of the ice
    • he can hear the snap of a twig
  2. noun the act of cracking something
    fracture; crack.
  3. noun the process whereby heavy molecules of naphtha or petroleum are broken down into hydrocarbons of lower molecular weight (especially in the oil-refining process)
  4. verb become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
    break; check; crack.
    • The glass cracked when it was heated
  5. verb make a very sharp explosive sound
    crack.
    • His gun cracked
  6. verb make a sharp sound
    snap; crack.
    • his fingers snapped
  7. verb hit forcefully; deal a hard blow, making a cracking noise
    crack.
    • The teacher cracked him across the face with a ruler
  8. verb pass through (a barrier)
    break through; crack.
    • Registrations cracked through the 30,000 mark in the county
  9. verb break partially but keep its integrity
    crack.
    • The glass cracked
  10. verb break suddenly and abruptly, as under tension
    snap; crack.
    • The pipe snapped
  11. verb gain unauthorized access computers with malicious intentions
    crack.
    • she cracked my password
    • crack a safe
  12. verb suffer a nervous breakdown
    crock up; crack up; break up; collapse; crack.
  13. verb tell spontaneously
    crack.
    • crack a joke
  14. verb cause to become cracked
    crack.
    • heat and light cracked the back of the leather chair
  15. verb reduce (petroleum) to a simpler compound by cracking
    crack.
  16. verb break into simpler molecules by means of heat
    crack.
    • The petroleum cracked
  17. adjective satellite very good
    groovy; dandy; corking; bully; not bad; swell; smashing; great; keen; slap-up; neat; nifty; peachy; bang-up.
    • he did a bully job
    • a neat sports car
    • had a great time at the party
    • you look simply smashing

WordNet