crackern.
/ˈkrakə/, U.S. /ˈkrækər/ One who or that which cracks (in any of the senses of the verb).† 7. A pistol. Obsolete slang. (Cf. barker n.1 4.)
1. gen.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > thief > burglar > [noun]
housebreakera1400
burglary1533
burglar1541
burglarer1598
mill1607
mill-ken1667
hoister1708
crack1749
cracksman1819
screwsman1819
screwer1831
crib-cracker1879
cracker1886
key worker1895
houseman1904
home invader1907
in and out man1961
1631 B. Jonson Staple of Newes Prol. for Court in Wks. II To Schollers..aboue the vulgar sort Of Nut-crackers, that onely come for sight.
1842 C. Dickens Amer. Notes I. ii. 45 A teller of anecdotes and cracker of jokes.
1886 W. Besant Children of Gibeon II. ii. xviii. 290 A professional in his own line, a cracker of cribs.
2. esp. A boaster, braggart; hence, a liar.
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the mind > emotion > pride > boasting or boastfulness > [noun] > boaster
yelper1340
avaunterc1374
braggerc1390
fare-makerc1440
seggerc1440
shakerc1440
vaunter1484
roosera1500
praterc1500
cracker1509
vouster?a1513
boaster1574
Thrasoa1576
braggarta1577
braver1589
glorioser1589
bragout1592
rodomont1592
braggadocio1594
gloriosoc1599
puckfist1600
burgullian1601
puff1601
forthputtera1610
rodomontado1609
ostentator1611
fanfaron1622
potgun1623
thrasonist1626
cracka1640
vapourer1653
braggadocian1654
rodomontadist1655
charlatan1670
brag1671
rodomontade1683
gasconader1709
rodomontader1730
Gascon1757
spread eagle1809
bag of wind1816
penny trumpeter1828
spraga1838
gasser1855
blow-hard1857
blower1863
crower1864
gabber1869
flannel-mouth1882
punk-fist1890
skiter1898
Tartarin1903
blow1904
skite1906
poofter1916
trombenik1922
shooter of lines1941
fat-mouth1942
wide-mouth1959
Wheneye1982
trash talker1986
braggarist-
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > [noun] > a liar
liarc950
gabbera1325
fabler1362
wernard1362
leasing-mongerc1380
false sayera1382
leasing-maker1424
leasing-bearerc1440
contriver1477
drivelard1530
falsifier1532
lie-teller1552
Ananias1572
lick-dish1575
falsificator1609
fabulist1626
cracka1640
leaser1641
commentiter1645
prevaricator1650
cracker1652
bugiarda1670
rapper1758
pseudologist1804
Tom Pepper1818
wrinkler1819
lie-monger1830
untruther1889
tale-teller1894
1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys (Pynson) f. xv Crakars and bosters with Courters auenterous.
1573 T. Tusser Fiue Hundreth Points Good Husbandry (new ed.) f. 52 Two good hay makers, worth twenty crakers.
a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) ii. i. 147 What cracker is this same that deafes our eares With this abundance of superfluous breath? View more context for this quotation
1652 Liber Patris Sapientiæ in E. Ashmole Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum 208 Beware..Of Boasters and Crackers, for they will thee beguile.
1746 Brit. Mag. Apr. 48 Crackers against you are hang'd in Effigy.
3. familiar or colloquial. A lie.
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the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > [noun] > a falsehood, lie
liec900
leasingc1000
falsehoodc1290
falsedom1297
gabbinga1300
fablec1300
follyc1300
fittenc1440
untruthc1449
crackc1450
fallacy1481
falsity1557
falsedict1579
untroth1581
crackera1625
flam1632
mendacity1646
fairy story1692
false1786
whid1794
gag1805
wrinkle1819
reacher1828
cram1842
untruism1845
crammer1861
inveracity1864
bung1882
fairy tale1896
mistruth1897
post-and-rails1945
pork pie1973
porky1985
a1625 J. Fletcher Womans Prize iii. v, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Ppppp/1 Crackers Put now upon me?
1863 C. Reade Hard Cash I. 28 That was a cracker of those fellows.
1871 Daily News 24 July Learning to tell lies, and call them ‘crackers’.
4. U.S.
a. A contemptuous name given in southern States of North America to the ‘poor whites’; whence, familiarly, to the native whites of Georgia and Florida. Also attributive.According to some, short for corn-cracker n.; but early quots. leave this doubtful.
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the world > people > ethnicities > division of mankind by physical characteristics > white person > [noun] > poor white person
cracker1766
poor white1781
dirt-eater1802
sand-hiller1848
piney-woods cracker1872
piney-wood tacky1888
tacky1888
peck1924
peckerwood1928
trailer trash1943
pecker1966
the world > people > nations > native or inhabitant of America > native or inhabitant of North America > native or inhabitant of U.S.A. > [noun] > parts of
New Englander1637
bayman1641
New English1647
Novangle1650
Novanglian1752
Yankee1765
cracker1766
Yank?1778
bushwhacker1809
tuckahoe1816
southerner1817
Yengees1819
muskrat1823
blue belly1827
half horse and half alligator1828
Southron1828
northerner1831
westerner1835
Northman1836
Easterner1838
Far-Wester1843
southwesterner1845
western1846
sand-hiller1848
Vineyarder1851
mountain boomer1859
Far Westerner1862
blue-nosed Yankee1866
Appalachian1888
sloper1892
Ozarkian1893
rebel1895
reb1897
Middle Westerner1899
hillbilly1900
Midwesterner1916
Ozarker1920
Geechee1926
Middle American1944
upstater1944
Mid-American1959
society > society and the community > social class > the common people > low rank or condition > [noun] > person > specifically white
cracker1766
stinkard1777
sand-hiller1848
piney-woods cracker1872
piney-wood tacky1888
tacky1888
1766 G. Cochrane Let. 27 June (D.A.) I should explain to your Lordship what is meant by Crackers; a name they have got from being great boasters; they are a lawless set of rascalls on the frontiers of Virginia, Maryland, the Carolinas and Georgia, who often change their places of abode.
1767 N.Y. Mercury 21 Sept. in Mag. Amer. Hist. (1878) II. 250 A number of people called Crackers, who live above Augusta, in the province of Georgia, had gone in a hostile manner to..Okonee.
1772 J. Habersham Lett. (1904) 204 Persons who..live by hunting and plundering the industrious Setlers... The people I refer to are really what you and I understand by Crackers.
1784 London Chron. No. 4287 Maryland, the back settlements of which colony had since the peace been greatly disturbed by the inroads of that hardy banditti well known by the name of Crackers.
1850 C. Lyell 2nd Visit U.S. (ed. 2) II. 73 Sometimes..my host would be of the humblest class of ‘crackers’, or some low, illiterate German or Irish emigrants.
1856 F. L. Olmsted Journey Slave States 548 The operatives in the cotton-mills are said to be mainly ‘Cracker girls’ (poor whites from the country).
1887 Beacon (Boston) 11 June The word Cracker..is supposed to have been suggested by their cracking whips over oxen or mules in taking their cotton to the market.
1888 Harper's Mag. July 240 They will live like the crackers of Georgia or the moonshiners of Tennessee.
b. attributive; the Cracker State n. Georgia.
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the world > the earth > named regions of earth > America > North America > [noun] > United States > specific states > Georgia
the Cracker State1910
Peach State1935
1808 Balance (Hudson, N.Y.) 6 Sept. 144 [Verses by] a cracker planter.
1838 C. Gilman Recoll. Southern Matron xix. 130 The servant told us that a cracker man and woman were in the drawing-room.
1872 M. S. De Vere Americanisms 659 Georgia..little deserves the name of Cracker State, by which it is occasionally designated.
1887 Harper's Mag. May 843/1 Numbers of lawyers would gather together and relate their observations of Cracker life.
1908 Daily Chron. 26 Aug. 7/4 Our cracker guides go everywhere in thin cotton trousers.
1910 Washington Herald 27 Nov. 9 Through November the ‘Cracker State’ has occupied the center of motordom's stage.
5. A local name for the pintail duck ( Dafila acuta), and the corncrake ( Crex pratensis).
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > member of genus Anas (miscellaneous) > anas acuta (pintail)
sea-widgeon1624
pintail1674
sea pheasant1674
cracker1678
sprigtail1768
winter duck1775
sprig1844
pin-tailed duck1851
pigtailed winder1864
ladybird1885
smeath1888
smee1888
1678 J. Ray tr. F. Willughby Ornithol. 376 The Sea-Pheasant or Cracker: Anas caudacuta.
1812 W. Smellie & W. Wood tr. Comte de Buffon Nat. Hist. Gen. & Particular X. 155 Pintail, Sea Pheasant or Cracker.
1843 W. Yarrell Hist. Brit. Birds (1845) III. 253.
1885 C. Swainson Provinc. Names Brit. Birds (E.D.S.) 177 Corn Crake..Creck, Cracker, or Craker (North; Salop). Bean crake, or Bean cracker (South Pembroke).
6.
a. A kind of firework which explodes with a sharp report or a succession of sharp reports.
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the world > matter > light > firework > [noun] > cracker or squib
squib1534
crackera1592
breaker1630
serpent1634
fizgig1647
firecracker1650
petard1668
reporter1688
riprap1709
swarmer1740
mine1769
India cracker1780
throwdown1877
whizz-bang1881
flip-flap1885
snake1891
thunderflash1943
banger1959
a1592 R. Greene Hist. Orlando Furioso (1594) sig. Fv Yes, yes, with squibs and crackers brauely.
1661 S. Pepys Diary 5 Nov. (1970) II. 208 Seeing the boys in the street fling their Crackers.
1702 D. Defoe Reformation of Manners These are the Squibs and Crackers of the Law, Which Hiss, and make a Bounce, and then withdraw.
1851 D. Jerrold St. Giles & St. James (new ed.) xx, in Writings I. 206 Not a schoolboy but would have had his..pockets stuffed with crackers.
b. (In full cracker bon-bon.) A bon-bon, or small parcel of sweets, etc., which is designed to break apart with a bang when its ends are pulled, releasing the contents. attributive, as cracker-motto, cracker-paper, cracker-poetry, cracker-rhyme. Cf. Christmas cracker n. (b) at Christmas n.1 and int. Compounds 2.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > toy or plaything > other toys > [noun] > cracker
cracker1841
snappera1845
bon-bon1846
cosaque1858
1841 A. Smith Delightful People in Mirror XXXVII. 404 He exploded a cracker bonbon.
1844 A. R. Smith Adventures Mr. Ledbury II. iii. 44 They paid compliments, and said clever things, and pulled crackers.
1869 W. S. Gilbert Bab Ballads 56 Only find out who it is that writes those lovely cracker mottoes!
1882 B. M. Croker Proper Pride I. iv. 61 You remember the cracker we pulled together..on Monday, and I would not show you the motto?
1906 Westm. Gaz. 8 Sept. 2/2 A tragedy in rhymed verse not up to the standard of cracker poetry.
1907 Westm. Gaz. 25 Apr. 2/1 The gaily tinted scraps of cracker-paper that children love.
1934 D. Thomas Let. 2 May in Sel. Lett. (1966) 115 Cracker-rhymes that we..will imagine as the disregarded fruits of genius.
1942 ‘G. Orwell’ Crit. Ess. (1951) 128 The collection of cracker-mottoes at the end of Man and Superman.
1954 J. R. R. Tolkien Fellowship of Ring i. i. 45 The crumbs and cracker-paper, the forgotten bags and gloves and handkerchiefs.
c. An attachment to the end of a whiplash by which a cracking sound can be produced. U.S., Australian and New Zealand.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > punishment > corporal punishment > instrument or place of corporal punishment > [noun] > whip or scourge > whip-lash > part making cracking sound
cracker1835
popper1870
1835 J. W. Monett in J. H. Ingraham South-West II. App. 288 To the end of the lash is attached a soft, dry, buckskin cracker... So soft is the cracker, that a person who has not the sleight of using the whip, could scarcely hurt a child with it.
1880 A. A. Hayes New Colorado (1881) x. 140 Each wagoner must tie a brand-new ‘cracker’ to the lash of his whip.
1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Colonial Reformer I. xviii. 110 Stockwhips garnished with resplendent crackers.
1907 W. H. Koebel Return of Joe 164 Fresh and efficient crackers swung continually at the ends of the stockwhips.
1966 ‘J. Hackston’ Father clears Out 64 I'd plaited a whip specially for the occasion with a new green cracker on it.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > device for discharging missiles > firearm > small-arm > [noun] > pistol
pistolet1550
potguna1556
pistol?1560
snapper1587
pistoletto1647
pop1708
gun1744
cracker1751
stick1781
barking iron1785
barker1815
young gun1822
buffer1824
reporter1827
iron1828
flute1842
cannon1901
1751 T. Smollett Peregrine Pickle I. xxviii. 215 I don't value your crackers of a rope's end.
8.
a. An instrument for cracking or crushing something; a crusher; spec. in plural nut-crackers.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > equipment > equipment for altering consistency > [noun] > crushing or grinding
mullet1398
mill1560
rammer1630
pulverizer1635
crackera1640
hand mill1656
grinder1688
mortar1733
pestle mill1773
pulverer1778
bruiser1809
smasher1822
muller1823
pug mill1824
crusher1825
pounding machine1839
pug1859
disintegrator1874
micronizer1934
the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > equipment for food preparation > [noun] > tools for preparing fruit or nuts
nutcracker1481
nut-crack1570
nutcrackers1600
crackera1640
crack-nut1656
orange-strainer1688
apple scoop1696
orange-peel cutter1757
apple corer1778
lemon-squeezer1781
corer1789
orange squeezer1815
seeder1865
sweat-box1870
reamer1894
stemmer1898
juicer1938
zester1963
a1640 P. Massinger & J. Fletcher Very Woman iii. ii. 34 in P. Massinger 3 New Playes (1655) A pair of Nut-crackers.
a1659 F. Osborne Observ. Turks (1673) 344 The Tongues being at the best but the Crackers of Knowledge: the Kernel remaining useless..till picked and dressed by Employment and Experience.
1799 R. Southey Nondescripts vi, in Poet. Wks. (1838) III. 71 It were an easy thing to crack that nut Or with thy crackers or thy double teeth.
1874 E. H. Knight Pract. Dict. Mech. Cracker..3. One of the deeply grooved iron cylinders which revolve in pairs and grind the tough, raw caoutchouc.
1884 West Sussex Gaz. 25 Sept. 2/6 Turnip slicer, oilcake cracker.
b. humorously (in plural). The teeth.
ΚΠ
1815 C. Lamb Let. 9 Aug. in Lett. C. & M. A. Lamb (1978) III. 174 I conjecture my full-happinessed friend is picking his crackers.
c. A cracking plant (see crack v. 23).
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > workplace > places for working with specific materials > place for working with oil or gas > [noun] > oil refinery > apparatus for converting to petrol > for breaking it into simpler molecules
cracker1951
hydro-cracker1965
steam cracker1968
1951 Economist 11 Aug. 358 The modern catalytic cracker..may use as many as 350 instruments measuring and controlling such variables as flow, pressure and temperature.
1963 D. A. Williams & G. Jones Liquid Fuels i. 11 (caption) Fluid catalytic cracker.
1969 New Scientist 7 Aug. 280/2 The products of the crackers go to other plant for conversion into intermediate and final petrochemical products.
9. A thin hard biscuit. (Now chiefly in U.S.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > biscuit > [noun] > crackers
watera1450
cracker1739
water biscuit1789
water cracker1803
cream cracker1906
Triscuit1906
saltine1907
shrimp cracker1969
1739 in New-Eng. Historical & Geneal. Reg. (1868) XII. 296 Wee haue..sent a box of Crakers to you.
1773 Newport Mercury 20 Dec. (advt.) Said Johnson bakes the very best sort of crackers.
1775 in Mag. Amer. Hist. (1879) 3 516 Crackers for the use of the officers.
1781 W. Moss Ess. Managem. & Nursing of Children 108 Hard biscuit, commonly called crackers, are sometimes given; but they are heavy, owing to their being made without yeast and not fermented.
1810 Naval Chron. 24 459 Twenty barrels..flour, 20 barrels crackers, 30 bags navy bread.
1847 T. De Quincey Spanish Mil. Nun in Wks. (1890) XIII. 179 (note) His patent for a machine that rolls and cuts crackers and biscuits.
1855 O. W. Holmes Poems 108 Crackers, toast, and tea.
1868 B. J. Lossing Hudson (new ed.) 28 The hunters live chiefly on bread or crackers.
10. plural (South African) (See quot.)
ΚΠ
1849 E. E. Napier Excursions Southern Afr. II. 13 Sheepskin trousers—which, from the sound they make at every movement of the wearer, are called ‘crackers’.
1849 E. E. Napier Excursions Southern Afr. II. 121 Equipped in the easy..dress of a broad brimmed ‘Jem Crow’ hat, a fustian jacket, leather ‘crackers’.
11. slang.
a. A ‘cracking’ or ‘rattling’ pace.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > [noun] > a rapid rate
post-pace1546
post speed1546
full gallop1569
gallop1651
tantivya1658
spank1801
lick1847
cracker1871
1871 Daily News 1 Nov. (Farmer) The shooting party, mounting their forest ponies, came up the straight a cracker.
1891 N. Gould Double Event 124 Rob Roy made the pace a cracker past the sheds.
1892 Field 9 Apr. 514/2 The deer..went a rare cracker over Shirt Hill.
b. A breakdown, a smash: cf. crack v. 15.
ΚΠ
1869 Daily News 8 Nov. (Farmer) He's gone a cracker over head and ears.
c. A pound(-note). Australian and New Zealand slang.
ΚΠ
1934 W. S. Howard You're telling Me! 300 What about money?.. We haven't got a cracker.
1941 S. J. Baker Pop. Dict. Austral. Slang 20 Cracker, a £1 note.
1947 Coast to Coast 1946 37 That damned old foxskin won't be worth a cracker to you.
1960 N. Hilliard Maori Girl iii. ix. 240 I've got nothing, Harry: not a cracker.
Compounds
C1. General attributive.
cracker-bag n.
ΚΠ
1876 Wideawake (Boston, Mass.) 233/1 He picks up the cracker-bag and helps himself.
1878 E. B. Tuttle Border Tales 27 One of the Indians had discovered that a comrade was dead, and lying on the cracker-bags!
1897 R. Kipling Captains Courageous v. 127 On his return the cocoa-tins and cracker-bags were counted out by the Frenchman's wheel.
cracker funeral n. U.S.
ΚΠ
1856 H. B. Stowe Dred (1884) xii. 131 I was amused..with Old Hundred's indignation at having to get out the carriage and horses to go over to what he called a cracker funeral.
cracker-peddler n.
ΚΠ
1860 J. G. Holland Miss Gilbert's Career v. 76 ‘I'm going to be a cracker-peddler,’ said Fred.
C2.
cracker-hash n. a sailors' hash of biscuits and meat.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > meat dishes > [noun] > stewed meat
stewpot1542
estew1566
fricassee1568
ragout1652
pepperpot1698
grenade1706
haricot1706
pupton1706
lobscouse1707
stew1756
puchero1802
granada1806
bredie1815
muddle1833
scouse1840
slum1847
hashmagandy1851
ropa vieja1855
chilli con carne1857
sorpotel1863
goulash1866
daube1877
paprikash1877
chilli1886
pot-pie1890
slumgullion1902
cholent1903
cracker-hash1904
cracker-stew1909
gippo1914
waterzooi1915
Fanny Adams1921
adobo1938
cassoulet1940
feijoada1941
coddle1942
stifado1950
rancho1957
tinga1964
1904 Daily Chron. 4 May 10/2 Cracker hash, a savoury mixture of salt meat and biscuit.
1924 R. Clements Gipsy of Horn ii. 38 Sea-biscuits broken into pieces and baked with small morsels of beef or pork and called ‘cracker-hash’.
1928 Sunday Express 8 Jan. 4 Memories that go back to the days of ‘cracker-hash’, ‘lobscouse’, and hard-case.
1962 W. Granville Dict. Sailors' Slang 36/1 Cracker hash, minced meat and biscuits.
cracker-stew n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > meat dishes > [noun] > stewed meat
stewpot1542
estew1566
fricassee1568
ragout1652
pepperpot1698
grenade1706
haricot1706
pupton1706
lobscouse1707
stew1756
puchero1802
granada1806
bredie1815
muddle1833
scouse1840
slum1847
hashmagandy1851
ropa vieja1855
chilli con carne1857
sorpotel1863
goulash1866
daube1877
paprikash1877
chilli1886
pot-pie1890
slumgullion1902
cholent1903
cracker-hash1904
cracker-stew1909
gippo1914
waterzooi1915
Fanny Adams1921
adobo1938
cassoulet1940
feijoada1941
coddle1942
stifado1950
rancho1957
tinga1964
1909 Daily Chron. 14 Apr. 5/2 This is better..than cracker stew.
Derivatives
ˈcracker v. (transitive) to pelt with crackers.Apparently an isolated use.
ΚΠ
1870 Pall Mall Gaz. 5 Nov. 5 They may not squib and cracker the inhabitants.
ˈcrackeress n. a female cracker.Apparently an isolated use.
ΚΠ
1883 Chambers's Jrnl. 690 This young crackeress was..ill dressed and untidy.
ˈcrackery n. crackers collectively.Apparently an isolated use.
ΚΠ
1824 M. R. Mitford Our Village (1863) I. 57 As much of squibbery and crackery as our boys can borrow.
Draft additions August 2001
A. n. slang (chiefly Horse Racing). A large amount of money, esp. one won or lost on a bet. Now rare.
ΚΠ
1861 G. J. Whyte-Melville Good for Nothing I. vi. 70 I remember..Belphegor's year. What a cracker I stood to win on him and the Rejected!
1867 ‘Ouida’ Under Two Flags I. ii. 28 He had backed Forest King heavily, and stood to win or lose a cracker on his own riding.
1942 L. V. Berrey & M. Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §559/7 Large sum of money.., cracker.
Draft additions August 2001
slang. Something exceptional of its kind; a fine or impressive example, a ‘corker’. Also: a very attractive, appealing, lively, or admirable person, esp. a woman. Cf. cracking adj.1 3, crackerjack n. and adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > attractiveness > [noun] > attractive person > woman
morsela1450
honeypot1618
enchantera1704
peach1710
enchantress1713
sparkler1713
enslaver1728
witch1740
fascinatress1799
honey1843
biscuit1855
fairy1862
baby1863
scorcher1881
cracker1891
peacherino1896
hot tamale1897
mink1899
hotty?1913
babe1915
a bit of skirt1916
cookie1917
tomato1918
snuggle-pup1922
nifty1923
brahma1925
package1931
ginch1934
blonde bombshell1942
beast1946
smasher1948
a bit of crackling1949
nymphet1955
nymphette1961
fox1963
beaver1968
superbabe1970
brick house1977
nubile1977
yummy mummy1993
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [noun] > excellent person or thing
carbunclea1350
swanc1386
phoenixc1400
diamondc1440
broocha1464
surmounterc1500
sovereign?a1513
primrose peerless1523
superlative1577
transcendent1593
Arabian birda1616
crack1637
first rate1681
peach1710
phoenicle1711
admiration1717
spanker1751
first-raterc1760
no slouch of1767
nailer1806
tip-topper1822
ripper1825
ripstaver1828
apotheosis1832
clinker1836
clipper1836
bird1839
keener1839
ripsnorter1840
beater1845
firecracker1845
pumpkin1845
screamer1846
stunner1847
bottler1855
beaut1866
bobby-dazzler1866
one out of the box1867
stem-winder1875
corker1877
trimmer1878
hot stuff1884
daisy1886
jim-dandy1887
cracker1891
jim-hickey1895
peacherino1896
pippin1897
alpha plus1898
peacherine1900
pip1900
humdinger1905
bosker1906
hummer1907
good egg1914
superstar1914
the berries1918
bee's knee1923
the cat's whiskers1923
smash1923
smash hit1923
brahma1925
dilly1935
piss-cutter1935
killer1937
killer-diller1938
a hard act to follow1942
peacheroo1942
bitch1946
brammerc1950
hot shit1960
Tiffany1973
bollocks1981
1891 J. S. Farmer Slang II. 201/2 Cracker.., anything approaching perfection.
1900 Overland Monthly Jan. 45/1 Dag's jock was a regular cracker, and as reliable as his horse.
1914 Dial. Notes 4 70 Cracker.., a fine-looking, stylish, lively person. ‘She's a cracker!’
1963 Weekly News (Auckland) 5 June 37/2 Bill was with me at Nokomai and he was a cracker.
1977 Economist 20 Aug. 13/1 The United States has got itself a cracker of a deal in the treaty to end its 74-year control of the Panama Canal Zone.
1984 ‘J. Gash’ Gondola Scam (1985) viii. 55 I hear your lady is a cracker, Lovejoy.
1990 Sun 1 Mar. 42 The pitch was a cracker..hard and shining.
1998 Total Football Nov. 79/1 You beauty, you've scored a cracker against our rivals and condemned them to relegation.
Draft additions August 2001
B. adj. slang (chiefly New Zealand). Fine, excellent; exceptional of its kind.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective]
faireOE
bremea1000
goodlyOE
goodfulc1275
noblec1300
pricec1300
specialc1325
gentlec1330
fine?c1335
singulara1340
thrivena1350
thriven and throa1350
gaya1375
properc1380
before-passinga1382
daintiful1393
principala1398
gradelya1400
burlyc1400
daintyc1400
thrivingc1400
voundec1400
virtuousc1425
hathelc1440
curiousc1475
singlerc1500
beautiful1502
rare?a1534
gallant1539
eximious1547
jolly1548
egregious?c1550
jellyc1560
goodlike1562
brawc1565
of worth1576
brave?1577
surprising1580
finger-licking1584
admirablea1586
excellinga1586
ambrosial1598
sublimated1603
excellent1604
valiant1604
fabulous1609
pure1609
starryc1610
topgallant1613
lovely1614
soaringa1616
twanging1616
preclarent1623
primea1637
prestantious1638
splendid1644
sterling1647
licking1648
spankinga1666
rattling1690
tearing1693
famous1695
capital1713
yrare1737
pure and —1742
daisy1757
immense1762
elegant1764
super-extra1774
trimming1778
grand1781
gallows1789
budgeree1793
crack1793
dandy1794
first rate1799
smick-smack1802
severe1805
neat1806
swell1810
stamming1814
divine1818
great1818
slap-up1823
slapping1825
high-grade1826
supernacular1828
heavenly1831
jam-up1832
slick1833
rip-roaring1834
boss1836
lummy1838
flash1840
slap1840
tall1840
high-graded1841
awful1843
way up1843
exalting1844
hot1845
ripsnorting1846
clipping1848
stupendous1848
stunning1849
raving1850
shrewd1851
jammy1853
slashing1854
rip-staving1856
ripping1858
screaming1859
up to dick1863
nifty1865
premier cru1866
slap-bang1866
clinking1868
marvellous1868
rorty1868
terrific1871
spiffing1872
all wool and a yard wide1882
gorgeous1883
nailing1883
stellar1883
gaudy1884
fizzing1885
réussi1885
ding-dong1887
jim-dandy1888
extra-special1889
yum-yum1890
out of sight1891
outasight1893
smooth1893
corking1895
large1895
super1895
hot dog1896
to die for1898
yummy1899
deevy1900
peachy1900
hi1901
v.g.1901
v.h.c.1901
divvy1903
doozy1903
game ball1905
goodo1905
bosker1906
crackerjack1910
smashinga1911
jake1914
keen1914
posh1914
bobby-dazzling1915
juicy1916
pie on1916
jakeloo1919
snodger1919
whizz-bang1920
wicked1920
four-star1921
wow1921
Rolls-Royce1922
whizz-bang1922
wizard1922
barry1923
nummy1923
ripe1923
shrieking1926
crazy1927
righteous1930
marvy1932
cool1933
plenty1933
brahmaa1935
smoking1934
solid1935
mellow1936
groovy1937
tough1937
bottler1938
fantastic1938
readyc1938
ridge1938
super-duper1938
extraordinaire1940
rumpty1940
sharp1940
dodger1941
grouse1941
perfecto1941
pipperoo1945
real gone1946
bosting1947
supersonic1947
whizzo1948
neato1951
peachy-keen1951
ridgey-dite1953
ridgy-didge1953
top1953
whizzing1953
badass1955
wild1955
belting1956
magic1956
bitching1957
swinging1958
ridiculous1959
a treat1959
fab1961
bad-assed1962
uptight1962
diggish1963
cracker1964
marv1964
radical1964
bakgat1965
unreal1965
pearly1966
together1968
safe1970
bad1971
brilliant1971
fabby1971
schmick1972
butt-kicking1973
ripper1973
Tiffany1973
bodacious1976
rad1976
kif1978
awesome1979
death1979
killer1979
fly1980
shiok1980
stonking1980
brill1981
dope1981
to die1982
mint1982
epic1983
kicking1983
fabbo1984
mega1985
ill1986
posho1989
pukka1991
lovely jubbly1992
awesomesauce2001
nang2002
bess2006
amazeballs2009
boasty2009
daebak2009
beaut2013
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > individual character or quality > quality of being special or extraordinary > [adjective] > special, extraordinary, or unusual
sunderlepeOE
specialc1325
strangec1330
undeemousa1400
outragec1400
singularc1400
stravagant1565
unusual1582
extraordinarya1586
remarkable1593
exordinary1601
peculiar1608
stupendous1640
eccentricala1652
particular1665
out-of-the-way1675
uncommon1705
awfy1724
exceptionable1801
tremendous1831
exceptional1846
exceptive1849
exceptionary1850
spesh1874
heart-stopping1891
off-brand1929
wild1955
cracker1964
1964 N. B. Harvey Any Old Dollars Mister 41 The huge Maori put the Yank down... ‘By Kori,’ he said with a kind smile. ‘That was a cracker yarn, mate.’
1978 D. Ballantyne Talkback Man 112 On a cracker day like this?.. I'm hot enough as it is.
1982 P. Holden Wild Pig in N.Z. 45 They're cracker tusks, all right.
1998 A. Warner Sopranos 323 Chell goes, I was saying, it's goan be a cracker day an we should go out Tulloch Ferry to my sister's place.
2001 N.Z. Herald (Electronic ed.) 20 Jan. [He] said 1999 was a cracker year and people who saved did well, but last year was a correction—investment jargon for a bad year and poor returns.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1893; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.1509