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to crack

to crack

1 8.5
To break large molecules into smaller ones by using heat
  • verb
  • /kræk/
  • Specialized
: craquear
  • To improve fuel efficiency, scientists aim to crack heavier oils into lighter, more usable products.

Examples

  • So obviously we really need to crack the structures of these and understand how the structure informs function.

  • Urine is put into an electrolytic cell, which cracks the urea into nitrogen, water, and hydrogen.

    Blog text (33)
  • The chemist used heat to crack the complex molecules into simpler forms during the experiment.

  • In petroleum processing, they typically crack large hydrocarbons to produce gasoline and other fuels.

Synonyms

to break down
vsto crack
  • Specialized
47 3.7

To make something separate into smaller parts by a chemical process

uses heat specifically in industrial chemistry especially petroleum processing

Antonyms

426 3.0

Increase slowly over time

40 6.4

To combine ideas or materials to make something new

Idioms

To use firm authority to make people work harder and follow rules

1 8.8

To get a serious head injury that breaks the skull

to crack a nut
  • Informal
1 7.3

To use much more force or effort than needed to solve a small problem

9.3

A warning slogan saying crack cocaine can kill people

To use much more effort or help than needed to do a small task

To use far more force or effort than needed for a small task

Phrasal Verbs

82 3.8

To take strong action to stop illegal or wrong behavior

to crack up
  • Informal
67 3.5

To laugh loudly and without control

66 2.6

Open something like a bottle or box to get what is inside

To find the secret meaning or solution in something difficult

16 4.9

To try to do something, often for the first time

9 6.8

To keep working on something quickly and with energy

to crack up
  • Informal
4 7.4

To have a nervous breakdown because of too much stress

to crack a joke
  • Informal
4 2.9

Tell a joke to make people laugh

1 6.4

To work quickly to finish many tasks in a short time

To repair a break or hole in a surface so it is smooth and whole again

Find a way to solve a hard problem

Compounds

29 6.6

A very strong illegal drug people smoke that causes a strong addiction

crack of dawn
  • Informal
20 3.2

Very early in the morning when the sun first appears

11 6.1

A person who uses crack cocaine and cannot stop

crack whore
  • Offensive
8 9.9

An offensive word for a woman who exchanges sex for crack cocaine, often because she is addicted

4 6.5

A person who hits targets very accurately with a gun

4 7.2

A sudden emotional breakdown or a sudden burst of laughter

crack of doom
  • Archaic
1 9.9

The day when God judges everyone and the world ends

quarter crack
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A vertical crack on the inside of a horse's front hoof that can make the horse limp

creamy crack
  • Slang
1 9.9

A creamy food that people find very hard to stop eating

fatigue crack
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A break in metal or hard material caused by repeated stress

1 8.2

A large tree with stiff branches that break easily, often growing by rivers

ab crack
  • Jargon
9.6

A visible straight line that appears down the middle of the belly from strong stomach muscles

9.9

A strong want to collect plastic toys like action figures or models

sand crack
  • Specialized
9.8

A vertical crack in a horse's hoof that can cause pain

toe crack
  • Specialized
9.9

A crack at the front of a horse's hoof that can make the horse limp

How Fine

to pulverize
  • US
8 7.4
to flour
6.3
grind
3 2.5
crush
23 2.8
to crack
  • Specialized
1 8.5

Surface Forms

crack infinitive
cracked past
cracked past participle
cracking present participle
cracks third person singular

Etymology

In chemistry the verb crack means to break large molecules into smaller ones, and it uses the simple idea of 'break'. So to 'crack' oil is to split it into smaller parts.