A cracker was basically someone who cracks a lot of jokes but usually always refers to scotch or irish. If catalyst is used to aid pyrolysis it is informally called a cat cracker slang, chiefly britain a fine thing or person crackerjack. Read the phrases they used and get into our dinner show. Cracker definition for englishlanguage learners from. All the way back to the age of shakespeare, at least. One theory is that it refers to the cracked corn that was a major part of the diet of poor southern whites.
What is the origin of cracker as an ethnic slur for white. A cracker might be performing cracking for malicious activities, profit, for certain nonprofit intentions or causes, or just for a challenge. Cracker definition in the cambridge english dictionary. Another theory is that the term refers to whips that crackers used to drive slaves or cattle. Do white people actually find the term cracker offensive. A cracker is a thin, crisp biscuit which is often eaten with cheese. Cracker definition of cracker by medical dictionary. In american slang,what does a cracker mean,and is it. If catalyst is used to aid pyrolysis it is informally called a catcracker slang, chiefly britain a. It was used to refer to poor whites, particularly those. People of color for example african indentures and slaves and men of property repeated what they heard from white male elites and wrongly white historians racialized it.
Cracker slang article about cracker slang by the free. Crackers definition of crackers by the free dictionary. Jul, 2010 cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a usually disparaging term for poor whites, mainly used in the southern united states, but in recent decades in usage throughout north america. Crackers meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. With a single phrase, rachel jeantel, that friend of trayvon martins, may have lit a fuse in the trial of his accused killer. Cracker, the old standby of anglo insults was first noted in the mid 18th century, making it older than the united states itself. Definition of the slang term cracker with an example. They would put a short length of twisted twine or string attached to the end of a whip to produce a cracking sound. You dumb mug, get your mitts off the marbles before i stuff that mudpipe down your. If you refer to someone as a rube, you consider them stupid and uneducated because they. Cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a usually disparaging term for poor whites, mainly used in the southern united states, but in recent decades in usage throughout north america. Rube definition is an awkward unsophisticated person. Cracker definition of cracker by the free dictionary. 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.
Oct 20, 2011 the term cracker was also given to the farm hands that would work on the plantations as slave drivers. One theory holds that the term comes from the common diet of poor whites. But it turns out crackers roots go back even further than the 17th century. The term cracker was also given to the farm hands that would work on the plantations as slave drivers. Implied in the term cracker is that they dont fit in with other white culture. It has been taken as an offensive and derogatory term to people of caucasian or european descent and is largely considered a slur in modern usage. Synonyms for cracker at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. Cracker comes from the gaelic word craic which means a good conversation and is still in use in ireland today. Information and translations of cream cracker in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Top synonyms for cracker other words for cracker are biscuit, cookie and hardtack. Cracker means something entirely different in florida. If you know of another definition of cracker that should be included here, please let us know.
Americanaustralian slang dictionary robert p oshea. Refinery equipment used to pyrolyse organic feedstocks. Definition of cracker written for english language learners from the merriamwebster learners dictionary with audio pronunciations, usage examples, and countnoncount noun labels. Gangsters in the 20s and 30s seemed to have their own dictionary. Cracker pejorative, an abusive or slang term for a white person. Its also anything that cracks, like a firecracker or a computer code cracker, or of course, that thin. You can find this even back in some of shakespeares plays, like king john. Jul 01, 20 with a single phrase, rachel jeantel, that friend of trayvon martins, may have lit a fuse in the trial of his accused killer. Cracker conveys history of bigotry that still resonates cnn. Slang is very informal usage in vocabulary and idiom that is characteristically more metaphorical, playful, elliptical, vivid and ephemeral than ordinary language random house unabridged dictionary learn 600 slang expressions.
This is the jargon file, a comprehensive compendium of hacker slang illuminating many aspects of hackish tradition, folklore, and humor. Cracking chemistry, the process whereby complex organic molecules are broken down into simpler molecules. Cracker state definition, georgia used as a nickname. Cracker definition and meaning collins english dictionary. I should explain to your lordship what is meant by crackers. Cracker butterflies, a genus of butterfly from the neotropics. This page may contain content that is offensive or inappropriate for some readers. Some crackers break into a network system deliberately to point out the flaws.
You know what you look like to me, with your good bag and your cheap shoes. It is sometimes used in a neutral context in reference to a native of florida or georgia see florida cracker and georgia cracker. Always use a mainstream word, even if your entire linguistic history is telling you that a slang term would be the mot just. Cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a contemptuous term used for white people, used especially against poor rural whites in the southern united states. Cracker, sometimes white cracker, is a contemptuous term used against white people, used especially against poor rural whites in the southern united states. However, nowadays, especially in florida, it is just a pejoritive for any white person. Information and translations of cracker in the most comprehensive. What does the racial term cracker mean and how did the term. Rube definition and meaning collins english dictionary.
Nov, 2006 a cracker was basically someone who cracks a lot of jokes but usually always refers to scotch or irish. A whole mess of white people like to get worked up about the word cracker, some in the mistaken belief that this will somehow result in permission to use the nword. Its usage is similar in meaning to cracker especially regarding texas, georgia, and florida, hillbilly especially regarding appalachia and the. 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. All of our slang term and phrase definitions are made possible by our wonderful visitors.
Software cracker, someone who circumvents copy protection in computer software. Roy blount jr article on regional speech and social habits discusses books the dictionary of smoky mountain english by joseph s hall and. The meaning of the word has changed a lot over the last four. Looking for online definition of cracker or what cracker stands for. Redneck is a derogatory term chiefly but not exclusively applied to white americans perceived to be crass and unsophisticated, closely associated with rural whites of the southern united states. The amount of misinformation contained in some of these answers is amazing. Rubes synonyms, rubes pronunciation, rubes translation, english dictionary definition of rubes. Jul 01, 20 but it turns out cracker s roots go back even further than the 17th century. Georgia cracker, an american pioneer settler of the 19th century in the state of georgia. A well scrubbed, hustling rube with a little taste. A dry, thin, crispy, and usually salty or savoury biscuit a short piece of twisted string tied to the end of a whip that cr. A cracker is an individual who performs cracking, or the process of breaking into a computer or a network system.
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