cracker

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a thin, dry, crisp biscuit, often eaten with cheese or a spread

   She placed a slice of cheese on each cracker.

2. 2
   noun

   chiefly British: a decorated paper tube that makes a small bang when pulled apart and contains a joke, paper hat, or small gift

   The Christmas cracker contained a paper crown and a terrible motto.

3. 3
   noun

   a small explosive firework that produces a sharp bang

   A cracker exploded in the street just after midnight.

4. 4
   noun

   computing: a person who bypasses security or copy protection, especially for malicious or unauthorized purposes

   The cracker exploited an unpatched flaw to enter the network.

Common collocations

• soda cracker Noun + noun

Formed from crack + -er, first for something or someone that cracks or makes a sharp sound. The firework and Christmas-cracker senses reflect that snap; the crisp biscuit was named for the sound or texture of breaking it. Computing adopted cracker for someone who breaks security or copy protection.

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images