cracking

• Utilisé en anglais britannique pour qualifier quelque chose d'excellent, de très bon ou d'enthousiasmant.

Used in British English to describe something as excellent, exciting, or very good.

1. Excellent or greatB1informalbritish

   Used informally to describe something as very good, impressive, or enjoyable.

   Excellent, formidable

   • We had a cracking time at the party last night.
   • That was a cracking goal in the football match.
   • She told a cracking joke that made everyone laugh.

   Synonymesaceawesomebrilliantexcellentfantasticfirst-rategreatmarveloussmashingsplendidsuperbterrifictop-notchwonderful

   Antonymesawfulbadinferiorpoorterrible

2. Very fast or energeticB2informalbritish

   Describing something that moves or happens with great speed or intensity.

   Très rapide ou énergique

   • The car was going at a cracking pace down the highway.
   • He set a cracking speed in the race.
   • The team started the game at a cracking tempo.

   Synonymesblisteringbreakneckbriskenergeticfastlightningquickrapidspeedyswiftvigorouswhirlwind

   Antonymeslethargicslowsluggish

• Nom désignant le processus de fissuration ou de rupture, souvent avec un bruit sec, ou le procédé chimique de craquage des hydrocarbures en molécules plus légères et utiles, surtout dans le raffinage du pétrole.

A noun referring to the process of breaking something, often with a sharp sound, or the chemical process in which large hydrocarbon molecules are broken down into smaller, more useful ones, especially in oil refining.

indénombrable

1. Sharp soundB1formal

   A sudden, sharp, explosive noise, like that of something breaking or splitting.

   Craquement

   • The cracking of the whip echoed through the valley.
   • We heard the cracking of ice on the frozen lake.
   • A loud cracking sound came from the old wooden floor.

   Synonymesbangclapcrackpopreportsnap

2. Breaking or splittingB1formal

   The act of causing something to break or split, often with a sharp sound.

   Fissuration

   • The cracking of the nut required a strong tool.
   • He was skilled at the cracking of safes.
   • The cracking of the glass was caused by extreme heat.

   Synonymesbreakingcleavageruptureshatteringsplinteringsplitting

3. Petroleum refining processC1formaltechnical

   A chemical process in which large hydrocarbon molecules are broken down into smaller, more useful ones, such as gasoline and diesel.

   Craquage pétrolier

   • Catalytic cracking is a key process in modern oil refineries.
   • The cracking of crude oil produces various fuels.
   • Thermal cracking was an early method used in the petroleum industry.

• Verbe désignant l'action de briser quelque chose avec un bruit sec, ou de résoudre un problème ou un code.

A verb used to indicate the act of breaking something with a sharp sound, or solving a problem or code.

1. A2formal

   To break or split something open, often with a sudden sharp sound.

   Fendre avec un bruit sec

   • The egg cracked when she dropped it.
   • He cracked the nut open with a hammer.
   • The ice cracked under their weight.

   Synonymesbreakburstfractureshattersnapsplintersplit

   Antonymesfusejoinmendrepairseal

2. Solve or decipherB1informal

   To solve a difficult problem, code, or puzzle.

   résoudre, déchiffrer

   • She finally cracked the mystery after hours of work.
   • The detective cracked the case with new evidence.
   • They cracked the encryption on the secret message.

   Synonymesbreakdecipherdecodefigure outpuzzle outsolveunravelwork out

3. Hit sharplyB1informal

   To strike something with a sharp blow, often making a cracking sound.

   frapper sèchement

   • He cracked his knee against the table.
   • The whip cracked loudly in the air.
   • She cracked the ball with her bat.

   Synonymesbangcloutpunchrapslapsmackthwackwhack

4. Voice breakingB2informal

   To have one's voice break or change pitch, often from emotion or puberty.

   Voix qui casse

   • His voice cracked with emotion during the speech.
   • The boy's voice cracked as he sang.
   • She cracked up laughing uncontrollably.

   Synonymesbreakfalterquaverwaver

Variantes phrasalcrack downcrack up