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to crack on

to crack on

9 6.8
To keep working on something quickly and with energy
  • phrasal verb
  • /kræk ɒn/
  • UK
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  • I need to crack on with my homework so I can finish it before dinner.

Put the mask on him, you know, Crack on, soldier on, man up.

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Examples

  • I really have to get cracking on mine before the family descends at Christmas.

    Blog text (24)
  • Shall we crack on with the case?

  • I am going to crack on with this and get started.

  • But you know, you have to crack on and get the day done.

  • And yeah, then going to crack on with all of this.

  • And I think we're just going to crack on with private because money we have, time, not so much.

  • Right, crack on with it.

  • Crack on with the work.

  • And yeah, I think let's just crack on, get working and we'll see what's what.

  • I am now going to drop Poppy back, head home and crack on with editing.

Synonyms

to get on with
vsto crack on
168 2.3

Continue doing something, especially after an interruption

focuses on energetic renewed effort rather than simply resuming work
to press on
vsto crack on
26 3.9

To keep going with a task even when it is hard

puts weight on restarting energetically instead of just persisting
to push on
vsto crack on
21 3.7

Move forward or keep going despite difficulty

emphasizes renewed energetic continuation rather than steady determination
to get cracking
vsto crack on
  • Informal
12 5.8

Start working quickly and with energy

refers to continuing energetically rather than starting action
to buckle down
vsto crack on
  • Informal
11 4.4

To start working hard and seriously after wasting time

is about renewed energetic continuation, not initial serious effort
to plough on
vsto crack on
  • UK
1 5.0

Keep doing something despite difficulty or others telling you to stop

is more about renewed energy rather than stubborn continuation
to crack through
vsto crack on
  • US
6.4

To work quickly to finish many tasks in a short time

highlights energetic continuation rather than speed to finish under pressure

Antonyms

1.2

To stop trying to do something or accept defeat

668 1.0

To stop doing a habit or activity like smoking

How Energetic

to crack on
  • UK
9 6.8
to push on
21 3.7
to carry on
253 2.7
to potter
  • UK
1 6.5
to dawdle
17 5.0

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

crack + on

The particle 'on' carries a clear sense of continuation, which gives learners a cue that the phrase involves persisting with an activity; however, 'crack' does not transparently mean 'continue' in its core senses (more often 'break', 'solve', or 'succeed'), and the combination is informal/British and somewhat idiomatic. Because part of the meaning is signalled by 'on' but the specific sense of 'crack' in this collocation is not fully predictable, a B1 learner who only knows the constituents would likely need exposure to infer the exact meaning.

Etymology

Crack on may come from the image of a whip being cracked to push horses or workers 'on' and make them hurry; the sharp crack plus the idea of moving on makes a clear picture of urging quick action, so today crack on means 'to continue doing something quickly and with energy'.