1A line on the surface of something along which it has split without breaking into separate parts.

玻璃杯的中下部的一条极细的裂缝。

1. 1.1 A narrow space between two surfaces, especially ones that have broken or been moved apart.
   缝隙
   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。

   Example sentencesExamples

   • The hairline crack split wider as a burst of green energy shot forth through it.
   • He described the source of the leak variously as a split or splice or crack along the length of the tube.
   • He could see all the cracks and lines in them, made clear by the hot and dry sun.
   • The most common repairs are filling cracks and repairing surface damage.
   • It seemed safer to escape through one of the many cracks running along the base of the wall.
   • The terrain is easy to move over, hard mud with deep narrow cracks, easy to cross, but wide enough to hide in.
   • Only a small source of light came in through the cracks in the ceiling.
   • Most rocks and soils are traversed by cracks along which water can flow much more easily.
   • The mould may not yet be broken, but the crack is dramatically widening.
   • Glancing at the crack along the edges of his door, the light outside was brightening.
   • While I was checking that out, I noticed that there was a crack in the gas line, and it was leaking.
   • Evidently the shower head is leaking and has caused a crack in our ceiling.
   • An easy scramble led to the base of a 20 ft wall that was split by a wide crack.
   • I rolled over, seeing sunlight filtering through cracks in the walls.
   • The guards opened the slightest crack in the door enough for her to slip through and beckon her closer.
   • As we follow the crack along we find more lobsters every few metres, lurking in their terraced cottages.
   • Large cracks ran up along the old wood, clearly showing its age.
   • As soon as the slightest crack was opened, the being started to move toward it.
   • A jagged crack shot through the ice and water gushed up in jets and spurts.
   • The High Judge pushed open a crack in the door, beckoning the prince to exit.
   • There was not a mark of green anywhere not even between the cracks and lines.

   Synonyms

   split, fissure, crevice, break, fracture, rupture, breach, rift, cleft, slit, chink, gap, cranny, interstice
2. 1.2 A vulnerable point; a flaw.
   〈喻〉瑕疵，脆弱点，缺点
   the company spotted a crack in their rival's defenses

   公司发现了他们对手的答辩中有个漏洞。

   Example sentencesExamples

   • His escaping further punishment could cause cracks in party unity.
   • The economic weakness came on suddenly and has exposed some cracks in the financial system.
   • The more rigid the character, the more you can notice the cracks in the foundation.
   • Contempt poured from cracks in his professional facade.
   • It's a backhanded reassurance, one that allows for cracks of doubt in the organization's trust-us mentality.
   • Unfortunately, the PSA department was not in the right hands, and by 1967, the cracks in the system had begun to show.
   • By day four the cracks were beginning to show and tiredness led to injuries.
   • But, when you look carefully at each tiny detail, the cracks within your soul most certainly show.
   • Many fell through the cracks of the system, landing in jail or on the streets.
   • They saw the flaws and cracks in the system. [But] we have to move on and think beyond one man.
   • Cracks start appearing in Victor's near-perfect facade, cracks that are directly linked to his ambitions.
   • They fear a major crack in the system and the consequences it will bring - not only for themselves - but the entire estate.
   • UNICEF estimates that five million Thai children have fallen between the cracks of the education system.
   • Both events, both images, represented cracks in a system that can no longer exist.
   • There are certain bands that have more or less fallen through the cracks of critical analysis.
   • Slight cracks began to show and Keswick grabbed a goal, scoring from close to the back post.
   • It's going to find its way through the cracks in the system.
   • I've had to stop trying to look for cracks and flaws to prove that it's not as good as it seems.
   • He wanted to find a crack, something left vulnerable between the duo.
   • Still, the current fiscal crisis reveals the cracks in the system's foundation.

2A sudden sharp or explosive noise.

一声霹雳。

1. 2.1 A sharp blow, especially one that 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。

   Example sentencesExamples

   • What Montgomery conceived was a one-two punch, a British blow followed by an American crack.
   • My dad would get the report from our mother, make his way into our room, take off his belt, and deliver the requisite number of cracks.

   Synonyms

   blow, bang, hit, punch, knock, thump, rap, bump, thwack, smack, slap, welt, cuff, box
2. 2.2 A sudden harshness or change in pitch in a person's voice.
   （人的嗓音的）突然变化；变粗，变哑
   the boy's voice had an uncertain crack in it

   这个男孩的嗓音不知怎么发生了突然变化。

   Example sentencesExamples

   • She smiled half-heartedly, although she clearly heard the crack in his voice.
   • The message had to be delivered clearly and firmly - no cracks in the voice, no wandering eyes, no apologies.
   • ‘Friends and visitors,’ the old man booms with a crack in his voice that betrays his age.
   • I asked defiantly, trying to get rid of the crack in my voice.
   • The bottom lip started going and there was a crack in my voice.
   • She said it, imitating a small crack in her voice, as she had heard Tyron's voice do all too often now.
   • He was inwardly cringing at the slight crack in his voice.
   • She contended in a defiant whisper just above the crack in her voice.
   • He adopts a half-sob crack in the voice with monotonous repetition.
   • In the confidence she tried to show with her sentence, her voice made the faintest crack.
   • Singing in English at the impossibly low volumes she favors, syllables are often lost as her voice shows fine cracks.

3informal A joke, typically a critical or unkind one.

4informal in singular An attempt to gain or achieve something.

1. 4.1 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

   他希望有机会对敌人发起进攻。

   Example sentencesExamples

   • So we'll be having a crack at the gits who flout all the traffic laws that the coppers haven't got time for.
   • then you may as well have a crack at a test, if only for the heck of it.
   • We want to do well in the Trophy and it would be great if we could get through this round and have a crack at one of the Conference clubs.
   • ‘He's dangerous,’ says Bungu, who opted to have a crack at the combative Yorkshireman.
   • All that has been accomplished tonight is that one party have vented their spleen by trying to have a crack at another.
   • He's back for another crack after our recent criticisms of his work.
   • Graham has even promised to throw a couple of trainer wheels on a bike for me and reckons he has a 57 year old Kiwi who would like to have a crack at me.
   • I tell her, in case she wants to have a crack at us on this, that our stand is well understood and is very popular.
   • Previous old Labour governments had neither the clout nor the guts nor the majority to have a crack at their traditional hate-figure of the rural Tory.

   Synonyms

   opportunity, chance, say

5A hard, crystalline form of cocaine broken into small pieces and smoked.

1Break or cause to break without a complete separation of the parts.

沼泽地区的冰都开裂了。

1. 1.1 Break or cause to break open or apart.
   （使）爆裂；（使）破裂
   figurative his face cracked into a smile

   〈喻〉他笑得合不拢嘴。

   with object she cracked an egg into the frying pan

   她将一个鸡蛋打入了煎锅。

   no object you can see how the landmasses have cracked up and moved around

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Later, when you've cracked apart that final crab claw, you see her notice you in the mirror over the lobster tank.
   • I cracked apart the wings of my cookie and slid out the fortune: Look for love where you least expect it.
   • He laughed and I pretended to be offended, but ended up cracking a smile anyway.
   • Before his eyes, it cracked down the middle and shattered into a thousand pieces.
   • Megan cracked open an egg and spilled its contents into a frying pan.
   • Its superstructure began to fissure and crack apart from the concentrated barrages.
   • One last smash against the wall cracked apart the top of it, and a creature came into view.
   • The concrete finally cracked apart and the wigwam tipped right over.
   • One of the claws broke in the attempt to lift the submarine, and a large section of its hull cracked off and fell back to the ocean floor.
   • Her eyes began to crack open, her consciousness returning.
   • I cracked the eggs open, and started cooking them.
   • The hot pink nail polish cracks and breaks off into my mouth.
   • The plates continue to spread apart, the crust cracks again, another eruption of lava occurs, and another dike forms.
   • It was as if someone had cracked open an egg on the top of my head.
   • The child whose egg stays intact while cracking everyone else's eggs wins the game.
   • Gabrielle finally cracked a small sheepish smile and slid down beside him gingerly.
   • The machine's arms lifted up, grasping it's head, rock and stone cracking and falling off in large boulders.
   • The chocolate cracked like an Easter egg when the spoon went through it.
   • I reached out to touch the one unbroken egg and as soon as my fingertip made contact it cracked open.
   • I glared at him but ended up cracking a smile.
2. 1.2with object Break (wheat or corn) into coarse pieces.
   将（小麦或谷物）粗磨
   Example sentencesExamples

   • If you don't have access to a grinder to crack wheat for cereal, you can cook the wheat kernels.
   • There is also a kit for a processor that can crack corn and remove seeds from cotton with simple attachments.
   • They can churn butter, crack corn and feed it to the chickens, and tend the garden.
3. 1.3with object Open slightly.
   gingerly, he cracks open his door

   Example sentencesExamples

   • She cracked the door open slightly and listened, chuckling softly.
   • When I cracked open the door to my English room, the lecture came to an abrupt halt and all heads turned in my direction.
   • He cracked open his door to see a guard patrolling.
   • Quietly, Tim cracked open the door and stepped in, Robin close behind.
   • He hadn't heard me as I cracked open the door and watched him gorge himself.
   • Nick walked up to his parents room and cracked open the door.
   • I crouched down into the pilot seat and tried to gather enough courage to crack open the door.
   • Cautiously, she slipped down the stairs and cracked open the basement door.
   • After Pheobe changed in her room, she cracked open her door a little.
   • She grabbed the wooden bucket and its rain lid and cracked open the door.
   • Stephen recovered first and cracked open the door, peering out in the hallway.
   • She was about to pull it on, when Trevor cracked open the door and called out, ‘You okay in there?’
   • Quietly, she cracked open her door, looking in both directions to make sure the coast was clear.
   • Then a crescendo of Chinese erupts as the twins' mother cracks open her door.
   • He cracked open the door, only to find that it was dark, and the TV was still on.
   • She grinned as she heard the lyrics and cracked open his door.
   • I crack my eyes open slightly, only to be greeted by an almost blinding yellow light.
   • I cracked open my door and peeked out making sure no one was about.
   • Finally he screwed up his courage and crept out of bed, sneaking past his brothers and cracking open the door.
   • Greatly daring, Sonia cracked open the door to peer in at its occupant.
4. 1.4 Give way or cause to give way under torture, pressure, or strain.
   〈喻〉（使）屈服
   no object the witnesses cracked and the truth came out

   证人屈服了，真相被透露了出来。

   with object no one can crack them—they believe their story

   没有人能使他们屈服——他们相信自己编造的故事。

   Example sentencesExamples

   • We cracked under the pressure of the regular season.
   • Perhaps most of us would crack under such pressure.
   • Clearances were being returned instantly and, under relentless pressure, their defence cracked.
   • Some had cracked under the pressure and walked out in the middle of rehearsals.
   • ‘Robust scoundrels’, although guilty, would not crack under torture.
   • Finally, and despite my best intentions, my will cracks.
   • In the face of such a dual role, it could be quite easy to crack under the pressure.
   • Bachelet, however, did not crack under torture.
   • Certainly the most disturbing development as the crime insurgency continues is the appearance of the police cracking under strain.
   • After his early promise first shown at the Monte Carlo Masters, he cracked under pressure.
   • A decorated Gulf War veteran, he was moulded into a killing machine, but cracked under the pressure of war.
   • Then, with two hours work under my belt, my resolve cracked.
   • Even he cracked under the pressure of the kinds of policies that the National Party tried to introduce.
   • Within a few years, this class fissure helped to crack apart American solidarity.
   • His countenance almost cracks for a moment, but he manages to hold it together against tremendous odds.
   • At the beginning of the summer Towey's system cracked under the strain.
   • Better yet, imagine that it could be your arm-waving or catcalls that make a contender crack and blow his game sky-high.
   • Many believe that the Executive have, nonetheless, created an almighty sledgehammer to crack a few bad eggs.
   • Every now and then you hear stories of girls who crack under the pressure.
   • Decentralised modes of industrial relations are cracking under the strain of deregulation and globalisation.

   Synonyms

   break down, give way, cave in, crumble, collapse, go to pieces, lose control, yield, succumb, founder

2Make or cause to make a sudden sharp or explosive sound.

山脉的那边响起了一声枪声。

他甩了个响鞭，骑马飞驰而去。

1. 2.1no object Knock against something, making a noise on impact.
   （发出声音地）撞击
   she winced as her knees cracked against metal

   她因膝盖撞上了金属而面露痛苦万状。

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Then something hard and cold cracked against his head causing such an explosion of light and pain behind his eyes that it nearly took him under.
   • He may have been able to catch himself before he fell and cracked the back of his head on the hard concrete.
   • I jumped a bit at the sound of her hand cracking across his cold cheek.
   • His toe cracked against something hard and out of place.
   • His head cracked against the paving stone, and his vision exploded before his eyes.
   • She severely cracked her knee, and also gashed her jaw.
   • She twisted around and threw Fayer down into the ground so hard his head cracked against the pavement.
   • Her legs gave way and she fell, knocking the wind out of her lungs and cracking her head against the hard, tiled floor.
   • Had he not been quick to get his hand under her neck she would have cracked her skull on the hard ground.
   • The soft grass cushioned them, but Dusty managed to roll further than the others and crack his head against hard packed dirt.
   • She fell back onto the sidewalk, cracking her head on the hard concrete.
   • I crack my chin on the hard tiles and bite my tongue; the metallic taste of blood is in my mouth, the pain sharp and stinging.
   • She found herself falling hard, the floor cracking against her ribs and back.
   • Song's head cracked hard on the floor next to the welcome mat.
   • Maondrid cracked his head against the ground again, hard.

   Synonyms

   bump, bang, hit, strike
2. 2.2with object Hit (someone or something) hard, making a sharp noise.
   猛烈地击打
   she cracked him across the forehead

   山脉的那边响起了一声枪声。

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Willie Wilson then cracked in a shot, which Reid did brilliantly to tip over the bar to deny the Fifers.
   • While I bent down the door swung to and cracked me hard on the forehead.
   • And that's when I cracked him again, a sucker punch that knocked the wind out of him.
   • They want to see the police ‘go in hard and crack some heads on the terraces’.
   • Rory Hurley cracked home a vicious shot to give Pat's the lead.
   • I realised he wasn't breathing, so I turned him over face down across my arm and cracked him really hard on his back a couple of times.

   Synonyms

   hit, strike, beat, thump, hammer, knock, rap, pound, thud, punch, bump, thwack, smack, slap, slam, welt, cuff, pummel, buffet, box someone's ears
3. 2.3no object (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成人在压力下）变声，声音变粗，变哑
   “I want to get away,” she said, her voice cracking

   她嗓音嘶哑地说道，“我想走了。”

   Example sentencesExamples

   • ‘Um yeah I'll be out in a minute,’ Cassie quickly answered hearing her voice crack.
   • It took every effort she had not to let her voice crack.
   • The story takes Pat Williams back almost 23 years, and even now, his voice cracks and quivers over the telephone as he tells it.
   • The riffs flew effortlessly off his fingers, and he sang harmony without having his voice crack.
   • Hannah yelled into the phone, anger making her voice crack.
   • I heard his voice crack as he rocked me in his arms.
   • ‘I need you to walk over to my house, get my car and come get me,’ I could hear my voice crack.
   • She was annoyed with herself, when she heard her voice crack miserably at the end.
   • Bryson looked down and when he finally spoke, I could have sworn that I heard his voice crack.
   • Then, I heard her suddenly shut up and her voice crack.
   • I degraded myself for letting him catch me like that and than letting my voice crack.
   • I took the information from him, nervously listening to his voice crack, and called an editor.
   • I could swear I heard his voice crack at ‘killing’, but I refrained from going to comfort him.
   • The microphones in the box were full of static, making Cameron's voice crack and differ in volume.
   • Allie whispered in instinctive response, fright clogging her throat, making her voice crack.
   • Manny was surprised to hear his voice crack and feel tears at his eyes.
   • I felt my voice crack, but I continued, trying to go on without wavering, which was extremely hard.
   • I felt my voice crack with the formation of a tingling knot in my throat and I immediately fell silent.
   • I yelled, my voice cracking and squeaking through my panic.
   • But then why are there tears in my eyes and why did my voice crack?

3informal with object Find a solution to; decipher or interpret.

1. 3.1 Break into (a safe).
   砸开（保险箱）
   Example sentencesExamples

   • Danny strolls around town, going places he shouldn't by lock-picking doors and cracking safes.
   • If winning a league demands a knack for cracking safe combinations then winning a cup is all about picking pockets.
   • As she finished cracking the safe, she glanced around the office, still fighting back the feeling of unease.
   • On these trips Fred learned many skills such as picking locks and cracking safes.
   • A tourist attraction will invite visitors to race a motorised gondola, crack a safe and save the world by defusing a bomb.
   • She cracks safes as well as her father.
   • The robbers cracked the first safe's combination, and inside they found only a bowl of vanilla pudding.
   • It takes him but two hours to crack the safe and remove its ill-gotten contents.
   • It is extremely unlikely that he would crack a safe without leaving fingerprints.
   • They are hired to crack a safe, photograph the contents of a locked briefcase inside, and return it to the owner without him knowing.
   • Police didn't get wind of the robbery until nearly midnight, six hours after the safe was cracked and cleared.
   • And, if he had to worry about beating the box, would he be able to crack the safe without zoning out?
   • Will blinked the sweat out of his eyes as he worked furiously on cracking the safe.
   • He'll make you a safe nobody can crack.
   • Safes are just as hard to crack in a bank as they are in a house; network security products are highly dependent on their environment.

   Synonyms

   force open, break open, prise open, open without a key, break into

4with object Tell (a joke)

5with object Decompose (hydrocarbons) by heat and pressure with or without a catalyst to produce lighter hydrocarbons, especially in oil refining.

催化裂化。

attributive Very good, especially at a specified activity or in a specified role.

他是个一流的射击手。

精锐部队。