◙ noun 1. a line on the surface of something along which it has split without breaking into separate parts • 裂缝；裂口；裂纹 »a hairline crack down the middle of the glass. 玻璃杯沿中部以下的一条极细的裂缝。 a narrow space between two surfaces, especially ones which have broken or been moved apart • 缝隙；裂缝 »he climbed into a crack between two rocks. 他爬进两块岩石间的缝隙中。 »the door opened a tiny crack. 门开了一条小缝。 (figurative)a vulnerable point; a flaw • [喻] 瑕疵；缺点 »the company spotted a crack in their rival's defences. 这家公司发现他们对手的辩护中有个漏洞。 2. a sudden sharp or explosive noise • 爆裂声；噼啪声 »a loud crack of thunder. 一声炸雷。 a sharp blow, especially one which makes a noise • （尤指发出响声的）猛烈一击 »she gave the thief a crack over the head with her rolling pin. 她用擀面杖猛击小偷的头部。 a sudden harshness or change in pitch in a person's voice • （音调的）突然变化；变粗哑 »the boy's voice had an uncertain crack in it. 这个男孩似乎开始变声了。 3. [informal] a joke, typically a critical or unkind one • [非正式] 笑话；俏皮话；挖苦话 [Scottish & N. English] a conversation • [苏格兰，北英格兰] 聊天；谈话 »they are having a great crack about shooting. 他们在大谈特谈射击。 4. (也作 craic)[mass noun] [Irish] enjoyable entertainment or activity；a good time • [爱尔兰] 愉快的娱乐（活动）；开心的时间 »he loved the crack, the laughing. 他喜欢这个开心时刻，这些笑声。 5. [in sing.] [informal] attempt to gain or achieve something • [非正式] 尝试得到（达到） »I fancy having a crack at winning a fourth title. 我想试试夺得第四项冠军。 a chance to attack or compete with someone • 进攻机会；竞争机会 »he wanted to have a crack at the enemy. 他希望有进攻敌人的机会。 6. (也作 crack cocaine)[mass noun] a potent hard crystalline form of cocaine broken into small pieces and inhaled or smoked • 强效纯可卡因 ◙ verb 1. break or cause to break without a complete separation of the parts • （使）开裂；（使）破裂 »[no obj.] the ice all over the bog had cracked. 沼泽上的冰都裂开了。 »[with obj.] take care not to crack the glass. 小心别将玻璃弄裂了。 break or cause to break open or apart • （使）爆裂；（使）破裂 »[no obj., with adverbial] a chunk of the cliff had cracked off in a storm. 暴风雨中悬崖裂开了一大块。 »his face cracked into a smile. 他咧嘴而笑。 »[with obj.] she cracked an egg into the frying pan. 她将鸡蛋打入煎锅。 [with obj.] break (wheat or corn) into coarse pieces • 将（麦子或谷物）磨碎 (figurative)give way or cause to give way under torture, pressure, or strain • [喻] （使）（因折磨、压力或疲惫）发狂；（使）垮下 »[no obj.] the witnesses cracked and the truth came out. 目击者终于屈服，说出了真相。 »[with obj.] no one can crack them—they believe their cover story. 没有人能揭穿他们——人们相信他们编造的故事。 [no obj.] (crack up)[informal] suffer an emotional breakdown under pressure • [非正式] （因压力）感情崩溃 [no obj.] (crack up)[informal] burst into laughter • [非正式] 大笑；爆笑 2. make or cause to make a sudden sharp or explosive sound • 使）发出尖锐（或爆裂）声 »[no obj.] a shot cracked across the ridge. 山脊传出一声枪响。 »[with obj.] he cracked his whip and galloped away. 他甩了个响鞭，骑马飞驰而去。 [no obj.] knock against something, making a noise on impact • （发出声音的）撞上；碰撞 »she winced as her knees cracked against metal. 膝盖撞上金属时她蹙紧了眉头。 [with obj.] hit (someone or something) hard, making a sharp noise • （猛烈地）击打；敲打 »she cracked him across the forehead. 她使劲敲他的额头。 [no obj.] (of a person's voice, especially that of an adolescent boy or a person under strain) suddenly change in pitch • （尤指青春期的男孩或在压力下的）变声；声音嘶哑 »‘I want to get away,’ she said, her voice cracking. 她哑着嗓子说道，“我想走了。”。 3. [with obj.] [informal] find a solution to; decipher or interpret • [非正式] 解决；破译；解释 »the code will help you crack the messages. 这个代码可以帮助你破译这些信息。 break into (a safe) • 强行进入；砸开（保险箱） succeed in achieving • 成功获得 »he cracked a brilliant goal. 他达到了很高的目标。 4. [with obj.] decompose (hydrocarbons) by heat and pressure with or without a catalyst to produce lighter hydrocarbons, especially in oil refining • （尤指炼油）（高温或压力）分解（碳氢化合物） »[as noun cracking] catalytic cracking. 催化性裂化。 ◙ adjective 1. [attrib.] very good, especially at a specified activity or in a specified role • （尤指特定活动或角色）顶呱呱的；一流的；极棒的 »he is a crack shot. 他是个一流的枪手。 »crack troops. 顶呱呱的部队。
【IDIOMS】
◘ crack a book 1. [N. Amer. informal] open a book and read it;study • [北美，非正式] 研读；学习 ◘ crack a bottle 1. open a bottle, especially of wine, and drink it • 开瓶（尤指开葡萄酒的酒瓶）喝酒 ◘ crack a crib 1. [Brit. archaic, informal] break into a house • [英，古，非正式] 破门而入 ◘ crack of dawn 1. a time very early in the morning;daybreak • 黎明；拂晓 ◘ crack of doom 1. a thunder peal announcing the Day of Judgement • 世界末日的霹雳 ◘ crack of the whip 1. [Brit. informal] a chance to try one's hand at or participate in something • [英，非正式] 尝试机会；参与机会 »individuals who feel that they have not had a fair crack of the whip. 感觉没有公平机会的个人。 ◘ cracked up to be 1. [with negative] [informal] asserted to be (used to indicate that someone or something has been described too favourably) • [非正式] 断定（指对某人某事某物的优点夸大地宣扬） »life on tour is not as glamorous as it's cracked up to be. 旅行生活并不像所吹嘘的那样迷人。 ◘ crack wise 1. [N. Amer. informal] make jokes • [北美，非正式] 开玩笑；说笑话 ◘ get cracking 1. [informal] act quickly and energetically • [非正式] 积极迅速地行动 »most tickets have been snapped up, so get cracking if you want one. 大部分票都被一抢而空了，想要的话得赶快行动了。 ◘ slip (或 fall) through the cracks 1. [N. Amer.] . another way of saying slip through the net (seenet) • [北美] 同slip through the net（见 net）
【派生】
♦ cracky adjective
【语源】
1. Old English cracian 'make an explosive noise'; of Germanic origin; related to Dutch kraken and German krachen
【PHR V】
◘ crack down on 1. [informal] take severe measures against • [非正式] 采取严厉措施；严厉打击 »we need to crack down hard on workplaces that break safety regulations. 我们必须严惩不守安全规则的工场。 ◘ crack on 1. [informal] proceed or progress quickly • [非正式] 快速前进；迅速进步 »we'll crack on with the second half of the job this month. 这个月我们要加快下半部分工作的进程。