cracking

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɹækɪŋ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ækɪŋ

Noun

cracking (plural crackings)

1. (organic chemistry, petrochemistry) 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

Derived terms

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

 

Related terms

• wise-cracking
• wit-cracking

 

Translations

thermal decomposition

• Catalan: craqueig (ca) m
• Finnish: krakkaus (fi)
• Indonesian: perengkahan (id)
• Malay: peretakan
• Maori: wāwāhitanga
• Persian: کراکینگ (kerâking)

formation of cracks

• Bulgarian: напукване n (napukvane)
• Finnish: halkeilu (fi)
• Spanish: agrietamiento (es)

production of crack sound

• Bulgarian: плющене (bg) n (pljuštene)
• Finnish: pauke (fi)

Adjective

cracking

1. That cracks; that produces a sharp sound as of something splitting or breaking.
   • 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:

     From the spot where the body lay came a fierce fizzing and cracking sound, which ceased, however, before the fumes had cleared away.

2. (colloquial) Great.

   The race started at a cracking pace.

3. (colloquial) Enjoyable.

   We had a cracking time.

   • 2020 December 30, Richard Clinnick, “Greater Anglia strikes again...”, in Rail, page 43:

     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. I've heard some cracking tunes on it."

Translations

great

• Bulgarian: отличен (bg) (otličen), чудесен (bg) (čudesen)
• Finnish: huima (fi)
• Swedish: grym (sv), väldig (sv)

enjoyable

• Finnish: mahtava (fi)
• Swedish: fantastisk (sv), grym (sv)

Adverb

cracking (not comparable)

1. (British) Very, usually associated with praise.

   It was a cracking good show.

Verb

cracking

1. present participle and gerund of crack

Derived terms

• get cracking