cracking

be cracking on

1. To continue (doing something) fervently, determinedly, or with great haste. We'd better keep cracking on if we want to get this analysis done in time. A: "How Lisa doing?" B: "Really well! She's still cracking on with her master's degree."
2. To continue progressing at a rapid and consistent rate. I hope that report is cracking on, Tom, as we need it by this afternoon. Though the project was cracking on initially, it really stalled after the first few months.
See also: cracking, on

crack

1. verb, informal To manage to open or break into (something). He's the best thief in the Pacific Northwest. There's no safe in the world that he can't crack!
2. verb, informal To open (something) for use or consumption. Let's crack another bottle of champagne—it's a celebration, after all! I had just sat down and cracked my new book, when my kids came in and interrupted me.
3. verb, informal To tell (something) impulsively, especially a joke. We sat around cracking jokes until the early hours of the morning. I can't believe a politician would crack a fart joke during a televised debate!
4. noun, slang The fissure between the buttocks. Dude, pull up your pants—your crack is showing!
5. noun, informal A witty, snide, or sarcastic remark. If you keep making cracks like that during class, I'll send you straight to the principal's office! I couldn't help but laugh at the crack she made about the boss's idea.
6. noun, slang Short for "crack cocaine," a highly addictive freebase form of cocaine that is usually smoked in large crystals. Tom used to be a great student, but he got hooked on crack during college.
7. noun, slang Great fun or entertainment, especially in a social setting. A variant spelling of "craic." Primarily heard in Ireland. That was one wild night. We all had the crack. With so many comedians gathered together at the party, well, the crack was mighty, I tell you.
8. noun, slang News or details about someone or something. A variant spelling of "craic." Usually used in questions. Primarily heard in Ireland. Anyone know what the crack is with the meeting tonight? Is it still happening, or what? What's the crack with your sister? Is she still over in Australia? Hey, Tony, what's the crack? Long time no see!

crack (something) wide open

1. To break something open. A noun or pronoun can be used between "crack" and "open." The earthquake cracked the highway wide open.
2. To expose something scandalous or deceptive. A noun or pronoun can be used between "crack" and "open." That company's stock price plummeted after the media cracked the CEO's embezzlement scandal wide open. An anonymous tip to the police is what cracked the theft ring wide open.
See also: crack, open, wide

crack a bottle open

To open a bottle of something, usually an alcoholic drink. We cracked a bottle open to celebrate finishing of our first year of grad school.
See also: bottle, crack, open

crack a joke

To say something funny; to tell a joke. The teacher scolded me for cracking a joke in the middle of class.
See also: crack, joke

crack a smile

To smile. I got the baby to crack a smile by clapping and singing.
See also: crack, smile

crack a tube

To open a beer, usually in a can. I like to crack a tube or two when I get home from work.
See also: crack, tube

crack a/the window (open)

To open a window slightly. It's so hot in here—can we at least crack a window? Yuck, who farted? Crack the window open!
See also: crack, window

crack down

1. verb To address or control something more strictly than in the past. After years of leniency, the school is finally cracking down on plagiarism.
2. noun A period of stricter control of something. When used as a noun, the phrase is usually written as one word. After years of leniency, there's finally been a crackdown on plagiarism at the school.
See also: crack, down

crack down on (something)

To take action to control or punish someone or something more strictly or harshly, especially compared to the past. After years of leniency, the school is finally cracking down on plagiarism. The government has announced its plans to crack down on people taking advantage of the social welfare system.
See also: crack, down, on

crack onto (someone or something)

1. To engage in conversation with someone due to romantic or sexual interest; to flirt with someone. Primarily heard in Australia. Janet went over and started cracking onto some blonde surfer boy after having a couple of margaritas at the bar I don't even remember cracking onto anyone last night.
2. To come upon or discover something, especially that which is surprisingly pleasant, satisfying, or exciting. I finally cracked onto a workout routine that achieves exactly what I'm looking for. I think we might have cracked onto a potential cure.
See also: crack

crack open

1. To open something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "crack" and "open." It's too hot in here—can we crack open a window? We cracked open a bottle of wine to celebrate finishing our first year of grad school.
2. To break open. A noun or pronoun can be used between "crack" and "open." The earthquake cracked the highway wide open.
3. To expose something scandalous or deceptive. A noun or pronoun can be used between "crack" and "open." That company's stock price plummeted after the media cracked open the CEO's embezzlement scandal. An anonymous tip to the police is what cracked the theft ring wide open.
See also: crack, open

crack open a/the bottle

To open a bottle (of alcohol) with the intention of drinking. We all cracked open a couple bottles to celebrate the end of the semester. I like to crack open a bottle or two when I get home from work.
See also: bottle, crack, open

crack some suds

slang To drink beer. Let's go to the bar and crack some suds.
See also: crack, suds

crack the door (open)

To open a door slightly. It's so hot in here—can we at least crack the door open?
See also: crack, door

crack the whip

To push or urge someone (usually one's subordinate) to work harder, likened to literally cracking a whip to control or urge on an animal. The boss is nervous that we'll lose this account, so he's really started cracking the whip on us.
See also: crack, whip

crack through (something)

1. Literally, to pierce, pass, or enter into or through something. The howling wind cracks through the walls at night. Rebel forces have cracked through the military's barricade and have now overrun the parliament building.
2. Figuratively, to surmount some difficulty or restriction so as to enter into some place or situation. After four years in the law firm, Meredith finally cracked through the glass ceiling and was made a partner.
See also: crack, through

crack under the strain

To submit to the stress of a particular situation; to stop functioning due to the pressure. If you keep pushing your employees so hard, they'll eventually crack under the strain.
See also: crack, strain

crack up

1. verb To laugh very hard. We all cracked up at Josh's joke.
2. verb To cause someone to laugh very hard. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "crack" and "up." Josh's joke cracked us all up. That comedian just cracks me up.
3. verb To experience a mental or emotional breakdown. All those days of sleep deprivation finally caused me to crack up. She's terrified to leave the house all of a sudden—I think she's cracking up.
4. verb To destroy something. He drove into a tree and cracked up his car.
5. verb To be in an accident. I cracked up after losing control of my car.
6. noun An accident. When used as a noun, the phrase is typically hyphenated. I was in a crack-up when I lost control of my car and hydroplaned.
See also: crack, up

crack wise

To make glib, facetious, and/or sardonic remarks; to make wisecracks. If you keep cracking wise in class, you're going to get in trouble.
See also: crack, wise

get a move on

To move, proceed, or work faster; to hurry. Get a move on, kids, or we're going to be late for the movie! We've got to get a move on if we want to finish this project by the end of the week.
See also: get, move, on

get cracking

To start working on something. Often used as an imperative. Get cracking, or you'll be up all night working on your book report! Let's get cracking—I don't want to spend all day cleaning out the garage.
See also: cracking, get
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

crack a bottle open

Fig. to open a bottle of liquor. Let's crack open a bottle and celebrate. He cracked a bottle open and poured a little for everyone to try.
See also: bottle, crack, open

crack a joke

to tell a joke. She's never serious. She's always cracking jokes. Every time Tom cracked a joke, his buddies broke up laughing.
See also: crack, joke

crack a smile

to grin; to smile. I was tellin' my best jokes, but Jim never cracked a smile. She looked surprised, and then cracked a big, beautiful smile.
See also: crack, smile

crack down (on someone or something)

to put limits on someone or something; to become strict about enforcing rules about someone or something. The police cracked down on the street gangs. They cracked down once last year too.
See also: crack, down

crack open

[for something brittle] to break or split open. The egg cracked open and a chick worked its way out. The side of the mountain cracked open and molten lava flowed out.
See also: crack, open

crack some suds

Sl. to drink some beer. Let's go out tonight and crack some suds. The guys wanted to watch the game and crack some suds.
See also: crack, suds

crack someone or something up

to damage someone or something. (See also crack someone up.) Who cracked my car up? Who cracked up my car? Who was driving? The accident cracked him up a little.
See also: crack, up

crack someone up

to make someone laugh very hard; to make someone break out laughing. You and your jokes really crack me up. That comedian really knows how to crack up an audience.
See also: crack, up

crack something up

to crash something; to destroy something (in an accident). The driver cracked the car up in an accident. The pilot cracked up the plane.
See also: crack, up

crack something(wide) open

 
1. Lit. to crack or split something. An incredible eruption cracked the volcano wide open.
2. Fig. to expose and reveal some great wrongdoing. The police cracked the drug ring wide open. The newspaper story cracked the trouble at city hall wide open.
See also: crack, open

crack under the strain

Fig. to have a mental or emotional collapse because of continued work or stress. He worked 80-hour weeks for a month and finally cracked under the strain.
See also: crack, strain

crack up

 
1. to have a wreck. The plane cracked up and killed two of the passengers. Whose car cracked up on the expressway?
2. to break out in laughter. The whole audience cracked up. I knew I would crack up during the love scene.
3. Sl. to have a mental or emotional breakdown. The poor guy cracked up. It was too much for him. You would crack up, too, if you had been through all he went through.
4. an accident; a wreck. (Usually crack-up.) There was a terrible crack-up on the expressway. There were four cars in the crack-up.
See also: crack, up

get cracking

Rur. to get to work. If you want to finish that quilt by Labor Day, you best get cracking. Sit down to your homework and get cracking!
See also: cracking, get
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

crack a joke

Make a joke, say something humorous, as in You can count on Grandpa to crack a joke on every occasion. This expression uses the verb to crack in the now obsolete sense of "briskly pronounce" or "boast." [Early 1700s]
See also: crack, joke

crack a smile

Smile, as in Betty was a very serious person; she rarely cracked a smile. This colloquialism transfers crack in the sense of "break" to breaking a serious facial expression into a smile.
See also: crack, smile

crack down

Act more forcefully to regulate, repress, or restrain. For example, The police cracked down on speeding. [1930s]
See also: crack, down

crack the whip

Behave in a domineering and demanding way toward one's subordinates. For example, He's been cracking the whip ever since he got his promotion. This expression, first recorded in 1647, alludes to drivers of horse-drawn wagons who snapped their whips hard, producing a loud cracking noise. Its figurative use dates from the late 1800s.
See also: crack, whip

crack up

1. Suffer an emotional breakdown, become insane, as in He might crack up under the strain. This usage alludes to the result of cracking one's skull; from the early 1600s to crack alone was used in this way. [Slang; early 1900s]
2. Damage or wreck a vehicle or vessel. For example, I'm always afraid that I'll crack up the car.
3. Experience a crash, as in We cracked up on the freeway in the middle of the ice storm.
4. Also, crack someone up. Burst or cause to burst out laughing, as in The audience cracked up, or That joke really cracked me up. [Slang; c. 1940] Also see break up, def. 6. All of these expressions derive from crack in the sense of "break into pieces" or "collapse," a usage dating from the late 1600s. Also see cracked up.
See also: crack, up

get a move on

Also, get cracking or going or rolling . Hurry up; also, start working. For example, Get a move on, it's late, or Let's get cracking, kids, or It's time we got going, or The alarm went off ten minutes ago, so get rolling. The first colloquial expression dates from the late 1800s. The second term, also colloquial, employs the verb to crack in the sense of "travel with speed," a usage dating from the early 1800s, but the idiom dates only from the first half of the 1900s. The third term dates from the late 1800s and also has other meanings; see get going. Get rolling alludes to setting wheels in motion and dates from the first half of the 1900s. Also see get busy; get on the stick.
See also: get, move, on

get cracking

see under get a move on.
See also: cracking, get
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

get cracking

INFORMAL
If you get cracking, you start doing something immediately and quickly. I realised that if we got cracking, we could make the last 700 miles to St Lucia within our deadline. I promised to get cracking on the deal.
See also: cracking, get

get a move on

INFORMAL
COMMON If you get a move on, you hurry. You'd better get a move on if you're going to make it back in time for the match. `I wish the driver would get a move on,' she said.
See also: get, move, on

crack the whip

If a person in authority cracks the whip, they make people work hard by being strict. They've recently installed a new management team to crack the whip. Donna stayed at home and cracked the whip over her three girls and son. Note: When someone makes people work hard by being strict with them, you can talk about the crack of their whip. He has, he says `a team of ten working hard under' him. You can almost hear the crack of his whip.
See also: crack, whip
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

crack wise

make jokes. North American informal
See also: crack, wise

get cracking

act quickly and energetically. informal
See also: cracking, get

get a move on

hurry up. informal
1992 Lisa Tuttle Lost Futures So stop worrying, sweetheart, and let's get a move on…I don't want to be late.
See also: get, move, on
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

crack a ˈjoke

tell a joke: He’s always cracking jokes in class.
See also: crack, joke

crack the ˈwhip

use your authority or power to make somebody work very hard, usually by treating them in a strict way: What you need to do is crack the whip and make sure that they do the job properly.
See also: crack, whip

get ˈcracking

(informal) start doing something quickly: We’ll have to get cracking with the painting if we want to be finished by Friday. There’s an awful lot to do, so let’s get cracking.
See also: cracking, get

get a ˈmove on

(spoken) hurry; do something faster: You’d better get a move on or you’ll be late. OPPOSITE: take your time (doing something/to do something/over something) (1)
See also: get, move, on
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

crack down

v.
1. To increase the intensity or severity involved in preventing or regulating something: The police are cracking down on drunk driving and issuing stiffer penalties. The police cracked down after the murder last week.
2. To increase the intensity or severity involved in punishing or repressing someone: The government has cracked down on protesters.
See also: crack, down

crack up

v.
1. To damage something or someone, as in an accident: I cracked up the car when I hit a tree. We gave him a remote control plane for his birthday, but he cracked it up on his very first flight.
2. To become damaged or wrecked: The plane cracked up when it hit the ground.
3. To praise someone or something highly, especially incorrectly. Often used in the passive: I am simply not the genius I'm cracked up to be. His friend cracked him up to be a great mechanic, but I thought his work was shoddy.
4. To have a mental or physical breakdown: We were afraid that the pilot might crack up under the stress.
5. To laugh very hard: She cracked up when I told her the joke.
6. To cause someone to laugh very hard: The funny movie cracked us up. The comedian cracked up the audience.
See also: crack, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.

crack

1. n. the gap between the buttocks. You wanna get kicked in the crack?
2. n. the gap between the lips of the vulva. (see also crack-rack.) He screamed something rude about her crack and slapped her.
3. n. women considered as the object of copulation and male sexual release. (Usually with some. Rude and derogatory.) Jed said he had to have some crack soon or he would die.
4. n. a joke; a smart-aleck remark. Another crack like that and your nose will be so reshaped.
5. n. a try (that may or may not succeed). Have another crack at it.
6. n. a unit of something (for a particular price); a use (of something). You would think twice, too, if you remembered that it’s seven dollars a crack.
7. n. crystalline, smokable cocaine. (Drugs.) This crack seems to have become the drug of choice for punks of all ages.
8. in. to break down and talk under pressure. (Underworld.) They kept at her till she finally cracked and talked.
9. mod. [of a person] excellent; top-flight. The dealer’s crack salesman was no help at all.
10. tv. to break into something. (Underworld.) We almost cracked the safe before the alarm went off.

crack a tube

tv. to open a can of beer. (see also tube.) Why don’t you drop over this evening, and we’ll crack a few tubes?
See also: crack, tube

crack some suds

tv. to drink some beer. Let’s go out tonight and crack some suds.
See also: crack, suds

crack up

1. in. to have a wreck. The plane cracked up and killed two of the passengers.
2. in. to break out in laughter. I knew I would crack up during the love scene.
3. in. to have a nervous breakdown. The poor guy cracked up. It was too much for him.
4. n. an accident; a wreck. (Usually crack-up.) There was a terrible crack-up on the expressway.
See also: crack, up

Get cracking!

imperative Get moving!; Get started!; Hurry up! Hurry up! Get cracking!
See also: get
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

crack the whip

To behave in a domineering manner; demand hard work and efficiency from those under one's control.
See also: crack, whip
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

get cracking/rolling

Begin, get busy, hurry up. The first of these colloquialisms originated in Great Britain in the 1930s and appears to have crossed the Atlantic during World War II. It uses crack in the sense of “move fast,” a usage dating from the late nineteenth century, and is often put as an imperative, as in “Now get cracking before it starts to rain.” The synonymous get rolling, dating from the first half of the 1900s, alludes to setting wheels in motion. It, too, may be used as an imperative, but is more often heard in such locutions as “Jake said it’s time to get rolling on the contracts.”
See also: cracking, get, roll
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • be cracking on
  • crack on
  • be in great haste
  • haste
  • rush through
  • get (one's) butt (somewhere)
  • run about like a headless chicken
  • running about like a headless chicken
References in periodicals archive
Deterioration of the NRL films by scission cracking from exposure to ozone will increase the likelihood of condoms breaking during use.
TPE condoms impervious to ozone levels that damage NR latex condoms
The x-axial displacement distribution, as well as cracking sequence from initiation to final failure, for different flaw depths under stress wave I was shown in Figures 13 and 14.
A Three-Dimensional Numerical Investigation of Dynamic Fracture Characteristics of Rock Specimens with Preexisting Surface Flaws
Analysis of Correlation of Rock Thermal Cracking with Inhomogeneity.
The Experimental Research of the Effect of Heating Temperature and Heating Time for Oil Shale Crack
The developed FEM takes into consideration the effect of the cracking as a discrete crack model.
Reinforced concrete finite element modeling based on the discrete crack approach
In older properties with cavity walls iron wall ties tying the two leaves of masonry together corrode and expand resulting in horizontal cracking in the external walls.
Complex causes of cracks in our homes; Every home will have them - some are harmless but there are others we should worry about. Chris Scott explains some of the many causes of cracking in our homes
Yao, "Analysis of initial cracking behavior of expansive soil due to evaporation," Rock and Soil Mechanics, vol.
Research progress on expansive soil cracks under changing environment
Duntemann gives an example of cracking that developed at the ends of pre-stressed concrete beams in a cooling tower being constructed at a synthetic fuel plant.
Diagnosing concrete cracks: tell-tale signs your building is "cracking up"
This paper describes the analysis and identification of continuous caster roll (CC) surfaces damage and cracking by means of nondestructive testing methods and digital photography.
Diagnostics of thermal fatigue cracks on continuous caster rolls surface/ Siluminiu plysiu tolydinio liejimo masinos ritinelio pavirsiuje diagnostika
So, observation of the fracture process in the Brazilian test could provide a new insight for cracking mechanisms at the meso-scale in concrete.
AE-SiGMA analysis in Brazilian test and accelerated corrosion test of concrete
Cracking The Symbol Cone: Revealing The Secret Heretical Messages Within The Church An Renaissance Art by British author, lecturer, and historian Tim Wallace-Murphy is among the most informative explanations to the mysteries left behind of the Knights Templar, Leonardo Da Vinci, King Solomon, and the metaphorical art of the medieval Christian era.
Cracking the Symbol Code
This tends to stress the interface between the two buildings, causing cracking at the interface.
Evaluating cracks in buildings
8) in his detailed work on the mechanism on ozone cracking of rubber made an important observation stating that a low carbon black content would improve the resistance to radial cracking.
Influence of carbon black, process oil and antidegradant in a NR/BR blend
In and of itself, this simple cracking is not harmful.
What's that cracking sound!?!
Bronswijk JJB (1991) Drying, cracking, and subsidence of a clay soil in a lysimeter.
Some possible interconnections between shrinkage cracking and gilgai
Yet, stainless-steel molds are susceptible to a common type of corrosive attack and tool failure called stress corrosion cracking. It is irreversible and can ruin a brand-new mold in as little as three weeks or less.
Fight hidden corrosion in stainless-steel molds