cracking

noun

1

: a process in which relatively heavy hydrocarbons are broken up by heat into lighter products (such as gasoline)

2

US politics : a form of gerrymandering in which election districts are drawn in such a way that voters likely to support the opposing party are spread among multiple districts to dilute the power of their votes

Using the classic gerrymandering technique, cracking, they divided Salt Lake City (a Democrat stronghold) among three districts to drown out its Democratic voters with neighboring heavily Republican turf.

—Justin F. Thulin

compare packing sense 3

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cracking

• get cracking

Rhymes for cracking

• backing
• blacking
• clacking
• hacking
• jacking
• lacking
• packing
• racking
• sacking
• slacking
• smacking
• snacking

Kids Definition

cracking

noun

crack·​ing

ˈkrak-iŋ

: a process in which heavy hydrocarbons (as oils from petroleum) are broken up by heat into lighter products (as gasoline)