Word: crack Part of Speech: noun Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gerh₂- Proto-Indo-European *gerg-der. Proto-West Germanic *krakōn Old English cracian Middle English crakken English crack From Middle English crakken, craken, from Old English cracian (“to resound, crack”), from Proto-West Germanic *krakōn (“to crack, crackle, shriek”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gerh₂- (“to resound, cry hoarsely”). Cognate with Scots crak (“to crack”), West Frisian kreakje (“to crack”), Dutch kraken (“to crunch, creak, squeak”), Low German kraken (“to crack”), German krachen (“to crash, crack, creak”), Lithuanian gi̇̀rgžděti (“to creak, squeak”), Old Armenian կարկաչ (karkačʻ), Sanskrit गर्जति (gárjati, “to roar, hum”). Compare typologically English crevice (<< Latin crepō), Bulgarian пукнатина (puknatina) (akin to пу́кам (púkam)), Russian тре́щина (tréščina) (akin to треск (tresk)), щель (ščelʹ) (akin to щёлкать (ščólkatʹ)). Pronunciation: /kɹæk/ 1. A thin and usually jagged space opened in a previously solid material. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: A large crack had formed in the roadway. 2. A narrow opening. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: We managed to squeeze through a crack in the rock wall. Example: Open the door a crack. 3. A sharply humorous comment; a wisecrack. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: I didn't appreciate that crack about my hairstyle. 4. Crack cocaine, a potent, relatively cheap, addictive variety of cocaine; often a rock, usually smoked through a crack-pipe. Labels: countable, slang, uncountable Example: crack head Example: And even as a crack fiend, Mama / You always was a black queen, Mama 5. Crack cocaine, a potent, relatively cheap, addictive variety of cocaine; often a rock, usually smoked through a crack-pipe. Labels: countable, figuratively, humorous, slang, uncountable Example: kitty crack Example: When did naming foods after a powerful narcotic become a thing?[…]Now the mean streets of New York are rife with “salted crack caramel” ice cream, “pistachio crack” brittle, “crack steak” sandwiches, and “tuna on crack.” 6. The sharp sound made when solid material breaks. Labels: countable, onomatopoeic, uncountable Example: The crack of the falling branch could be heard for miles. 7. Any sharp sound. Labels: countable, onomatopoeic, uncountable Example: The crack of the bat hitting the ball. Example: She broke to love in the opening game, only for Bartoli to hit straight back in game two, which was interrupted by a huge crack of thunder that made Lisicki jump and prompted nervous laughter from the 15,000 spectators. 8. A sharp, resounding blow. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Mrs. Perkins, who has not been for some weeks on speaking terms with Mrs. Piper in consequence for an unpleasantness originating in young Perkins' having "fetched" young Piper "a crack," renews her friendly intercourse on this auspicious occasion. 9. An attempt at something. Labels: countable, informal, uncountable Example: I'd like to take a crack at that game. 10. The vagina. Labels: countable, slang, uncountable, vulgar Example: I rattled off more silly nonsense, all the while clutching her firmly, pushing my fingers into her gluey crack. 11. The space between the buttocks. Labels: countable, informal, uncountable Example: Pull up your pants! Your crack is showing. 12. Conviviality; fun; good conversation, chat, gossip, or humorous storytelling; good company. Labels: Ireland, Northern-England, Scotland, countable, uncountable Example: The party was great crack. Example: He's good crack. [It's nice having him around] 13. A chat. Labels: Cumbria, Northern-UK, countable, uncountable Example: And when he come down in the evenings, he’d drop in every night to have a crack wi’ Old Bob. 14. Business; events; news. Labels: Ireland, Northern-England, Scotland, countable, uncountable Example: What's the crack? Example: What's this crack about a possible merger? 15. A program or procedure designed to circumvent restrictions or usage limits on software. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Has anyone got a crack for DocumentWriter 3.0? 16. An expanding circle of white water surrounding the site of a large explosion at shallow depth, marking the progress of the shock wave through the air above the water. Labels: US, countable, dated, uncountable 17. Extremely silly, absurd or off-the-wall ideas or prose. Labels: Internet, countable, uncountable 18. The tone of voice when changed at puberty. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: And let vs (Polidore) though now our voyces / Haue got the manniſh cracke, ſing him to'th'ground 19. A mental flaw; a touch of craziness; partial insanity. Labels: archaic, countable, uncountable Example: He has a crack. 20. A crazy or crack-brained person. Labels: archaic, countable, uncountable Example: On the London Cries […] I have lately received a letter from some very odd fellow upon this subject […] ‘Sir, […], but I cannot get the parliament to listen to me ; who look upon me, forsooth, as a crack and a projector […] I am, SIR, &c. / RALPH CROTCHET’ 21. A boast; boasting. Labels: countable, obsolete, uncountable Example: Slaunderous reproches,and fowle infamies, / Leaſings,backbytings,and vaineglorious crakes Example: D'ye hear wha's coming to cow yere cracks? 22. Breach of chastity. Labels: countable, obsolete, uncountable Example: But thinke her bond of Chaſtity quite crack'd, I hauing 'tane the forfeyt. 23. A boy, generally a pert, lively boy. Labels: countable, obsolete, uncountable Example: The ſame Sir Iohn, the very ſame: I ſaw him breake Scogaan's Head at the Court-Gate, when hee was a Crack, not thus high: […] Example: Indeed la, tis a noble childe. / - A Cracke Madam. 24. A brief time; an instant; a jiffy. Labels: UK, countable, dated, slang, uncountable Example: I'll be with you in a crack. 25. The act of hitting on someone. Labels: countable, dated, uncountable Example: The eyes of my sisters who fear my crack^* [footnote] Before the popularization of the term "crack" as a drug, its common usage in the Black community referred to men publicly cruising and approaching women. 26. Dry firewood. Labels: countable, obsolete, uncountable