cracking

That cracks; that produces a sharp sound as of something splitting or breaking.

Adjective

  1. That cracks; that produces a sharp sound as of something splitting or breaking.
    • From the spot where the body lay came a fierce fizzing and cracking sound, which ceased, however, before the fumes had cleared away. - 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure,...
  2. Great; excellent.
    • Near-synonym: crackerjack
    • The race started at a cracking pace.
    • That's a cracking example of what we've been looking for.

    Synonyms: crackerjack

  3. Enjoyable.
    • We had a cracking time.
    • Near the back of the concourse is a piano, [...]. Explains Reeve: "It was donated by a lady who had written to me. My Duty Manager at the time had a qualification and so was able to restore it to full working order....

Origin

Etymology tree Middle English crakynge English cracking Inherited from Middle English crakynge.

Adverb

  1. Very, usually associated with praise.
    • It was a cracking good show.

Noun

  1. The thermal decomposition of a substance, especially that of crude petroleum in order to produce petrol / gasoline.
  2. The formation of cracks on a surface.
  3. The production of a crack sound.
    • the crackings of whips

Forms

crackings

Related

wisecracking wit-cracking

Derived

anticracking hydrocracking Isocracking macrocracking mud cracking noncracking quiet cracking safecracking steam cracking thermocracking

Verb

  1. present participle and gerund of crack

Derived

get cracking