A term in southeastern united states english to describe poor white trash, derived from the scottish meaning of the verb to crack, which, in this sense denotes ostentation. Cracker definition of cracker by websters online dictionary. It is documented in william shakespeares king john act ii. Cracker meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. Ethane cracker plants are the fossil fuel industrys latest attempt to lock us into a dirty energy economy, bringing extensive and expensive infrastructure that fills our air and water with toxic chemicals while contributing to the climate crisis and slowing the transition to renewables. I know it goes back to before 1600 which would put its or. The amount of misinformation contained in some of these answers is amazing. There is a common view that the hackers build things and the crackers break the things. Cracker definition in the cambridge english dictionary. All the way back to the age of shakespeare, at least. Cracker noun definition and synonyms macmillan dictionary. To understand the methodology of a hacker or cracker, one must understand what a hacker or a cracker is. The meaning of the word has changed a lot over the last four. A cracker might be performing cracking for malicious activities, profit, for certain nonprofit intentions or causes, or just for a challenge.
A cracker is someone who breaks into someone elses computer system, often on a network. Cracker definition of cracker by the free dictionary. Thats because a florida cracker is self sufficient. Let us consider, for example, an oil refinery which has a catalytic cracker or something of that nature. A christmas cracker is a brightly colored paper tube, twisted at both ends. A cracker is a thin, crisp biscuit which is often eaten with cheese. Crackers definition in the cambridge english dictionary. I was born a corncracker, but i moved to the east coast for college. Crackers make great snacks, whether youre topping them with cheese, dipping them in peanut butter or hummus or eating them straight out of the box. Information about cracker in the dictionary, synonyms and antonyms. They may seem similar but there are differences between how the two actually work. It turned out, in fact, to be a cracker of a show to cheer up the punters on a showery and cold earlymarch night.
With a single phrase, rachel jeantel, that friend of trayvon martins, may have lit a fuse in the trial of his accused killer. One man discovered what triscuit actually means nerdist. A thin crisp wafer or biscuit, usually made of unsweetened dough. It is sometimes used in a neutral context in reference to a native of florida or georgia see florida cracker and georgia cracker. Its also anything that cracks, like a firecracker or a computer code cracker, or of course, that thin, savory snack that cracks when you break it. Cracker barrel 1861 barrel full of soda crackers for sale was such a common feature of old country stores that the phrase came to be used by 1905 as an adjective, emblematic of downhome ways and. At the center for the study of the american south at the university of north.
Proper usage and audio pronunciation plus ipa phonetic transcription of the word cracker. Someone called me a cracker is that a nice description. Safecracker definition is one that breaks open safes to steal. Change your default dictionary to american english. In mainstream press, the word hacker is often used to refer to a malicious security cracker.
Oh, i have a cracker of a photo of the two of us after a massive goodbye cry, when i left australia 10 years ago. Crackers definition of crackers by the free dictionary. Do white people actually find the term cracker offensive. Someone called me a cracker in one of my answers what does this mean. Safecracker definition of safecracker by merriamwebster. Definition and synonyms of cracker from the online english dictionary from macmillan education.
But it turns out crackers roots go back even further than the 17th century. Information and translations of cracker in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions. It is ulster gaelic and scots gaelic creachadair word meaning, raider and freebooter, but also associated with the free range cattle drovers in ulster. Internet enthusiasts have argued the difference between hackers and crackers for many years. And at walmart, we have a wide variety of delicious crackers, from saltines and cheese crackers to animal crackers and graham crackers. Meaning instrument for crushing or cracking is from 1630s. Clear explanations of natural written and spoken english. Cracker means something entirely different in florida. North american english, slang an offensive word for a poor white person with little education from the southern us informal a person who illegally finds a way of looking at or stealing information on.
This chapter contains my contribution to that debate. When modern civilization collapses, the florida cracker will be hunting, fishing, trapping and growing his own food. The phrase cracker barrel was inspired by the barrels full of soda crackers that were for sale in the countrys country stores. Some crackers break into a network system deliberately to point out the flaws. The term cracker barrel was first used in 1916, and it emerged from the country stores of the era. I should explain to your lordship what is meant by crackers. Urban dictionary and our advertising partners set cookies on your computer to improve our site and the advertisements you see. Hackers and crackers the difference between hackers and. This is the word i believe is the actual origin of cracker.
Cracker, sometimes white cracker or cracka, is a racial slur used against white people, used especially against poor rural whites in the southern united states. Offensive used as a disparaging term for a white person, especially one who is poor and from the southeast united states. The term cracker was in use during the elizabethan era to describe braggarts. The term its a cracker came about during the 70s from a tv program called the comedians one them whos. A term in southeastern united states english to describe poor white trash, derived from the scottish meaning of the verb to crack, which, in this sense. While your photos of chocolatechip cookies and saltine crackers are archetypical, form is not the sole determiner of the difference betwen a cookie and a cracker. Its a cracker of a book and you should read it if you havent already. Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples log in dictionary. Information and translations of florida cracker in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Im afraid many of the rest of us will be standing in line at the government owned grocery store with our ration stamps. But it turns out cracker s roots go back even further than the 17th century. As we tried in vain to make an order from amazon fresh, the notion of a snacking cracker danced upon our brains. This meaning comes from the sense of crack as brag, and a cracker, therefore, as a bragger. Cracker definition of cracker by medical dictionary.
Cracker dictionary definition cracker defined yourdictionary. In that the shop owners both have english heritage, it seemed only natural that we offer these funny tubes of paper so that those who honor english traditions can pull a christmas cracker during dinner on the 25th of december. Cracker comes from the gaelic word craic which means a good conversation and is still in use in ireland today. Cracker definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Its meaning and intensity as an insult depends on who is saying it. Shes written five books, and every one is a cracker. A cracker is an individual who performs cracking, or the process of breaking into a computer or a network system. Looking for online definition of cracker in the medical dictionary. Coal cracker is from 1853 of persons, 1857 of machinery that breaks up mined coal. Probably the most important distinction is that a cookie is usually sweet whereas a cracker is usually savory, as noted in the ahd definitions cookie a small, usually flat and crisp cake made from sweetened dough. A cracker is a xmas festive thing resembling a toilet roll covered with tissue and decorations the cracker has a small explosive which goes off when you pull it the cracker usually holds a paper hat,a token and a joke the joke is usually terrible hence the term a cracker of a joke. Define cracker by websters dictionary, wordnet lexical database, dictionary of computing, legal dictionary, medical dictionary, dream dictionary. Cracker conveys history of bigotry that still resonates cnn. A short piece of twisted string tied to the end of a whip that creates the distinctive sound when the whip is thrown or cracked.