cracking
cracking Lexical Profile
cracking Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
British Exceptionally good, impressive, or exciting (used informally as a term of enthusiastic approval).
"The local theater troupe put on a cracking performance of the classic comedy last night."
Very fast, brisk, and energetic (especially in reference to pace or speed).
"The marathon runners set off at a cracking pace despite the humid morning weather."
• noun
The action or process of breaking, splitting, or developing fractures, or the sharp sound produced by such an action.
"Engineers inspected the old bridge after residents reported the gradual cracking of its concrete supports."
The chemical process of breaking down complex long-chain hydrocarbons into simpler, lighter molecules such as gasoline and alkenes by means of heat, pressure, or catalysts.
"Catalytic cracking is a fundamental refining process used to convert heavy crude oil fractions into motor fuel."
The unauthorized bypassing or breaking of digital security systems, passwords, or software copy protection.
"The cybersecurity seminar covered modern defenses against password cracking and unauthorized network intrusion."
Word Nuance & Usage
As an adjective meaning 'excellent' or 'fast and lively', 'cracking' is primarily British and Irish informal usage (as in 'a cracking good story' or 'a cracking pace'), whereas its technical noun sense referring to petroleum refining is standard in chemistry worldwide.