cracker

cracker
{{11}}cracker (n.1) mid-15c., "hard wafer," but the specific application to a thin, crisp biscuit is 1739; agent noun from CRACK (Cf. crack) (v.). Cracker-barrel (adj.) "emblematic of down-home ways and views" is from 1877.
{{12}}cracker (n.2) Southern U.S. derogatory term for "poor, white trash" (1766), probably from mid-15c. crack "to boast" (e.g. not what it's cracked up to be), originally a Scottish word. Cf. L. crepare "to rattle, crack, creak," with a secondary figurative sense of "boast of, prattle, make ado about."
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. [1766, G. Cochrane]
But DARE compares corn-cracker "poor white farmer" (1835, U.S. Midwest colloquial). Especially of Georgians by 1808, though often extended to residents of northern Florida.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Cracker — may refer to: Cracker (food), a type of biscuit, usually salted or savory edible Cracker (mountain), a mountain peak in Glacier National Park Cracker (benchmark), located in the Lewis Range, Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana… …   Wikipedia

  • Cracker — Crack er (kr[a^]k [ e]r), n. 1. One who, or that which, cracks. [1913 Webster] 2. A noisy boaster; a swaggering fellow. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] What cracker is this same that deafs our ears? Shak. [1913 Webster] 3. A small firework, consisting of a …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cracker — steht für: Cracker (Band), eine US amerikanische Alternative Rock Band Cracker (Gebäck), ein Biskuit artiges Gebäck eine Bezeichnung aus dem Afroamerikanischen Englisch für Weiße in der chemischen Verfahrenstechnik eine Anlage zum Cracken im… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Cracker — Cracker; cracker; hy·dro·cracker; …   English syllables

  • cracker — CRÁ CĂR/ s. m. hoţ de informaţii implementate în calculatoarele electronice. (< engl. cracker, spărgător) Trimis de raduborza, 15.09.2007. Sursa: MDN …   Dicționar Român

  • cracker — [krak′ər] n. [< CRACK1, vi.; CRACKER sense 5 < earlier sense “braggart, boaster”] 1. a person or device that cracks 2. a firecracker 3. a little paper roll used as a favor at parties: it contains a trinket or candy, and bursts with a… …   English World dictionary

  • cracker — / krækə/, it. / krɛker/ s. ingl. [der. di (to ) crack rompersi; crocchiare ], usato in ital. al masch. (gastron.) [biscotto di pasta di pane sottile e friabile, spesso salato] ▶◀ ⇑ galletta …   Enciclopedia Italiana

  • cracker — /ˈkrɛker, ingl. ˈkrækə(r)/ [vc. ingl., da to crack «spaccarsi, fendersi»] s. m. inv. 1. galletta, biscotto salato 2. (elab., gerg.) pirata informatico …   Sinonimi e Contrari. Terza edizione

  • cracker — [n] hard, often salted, baked wafer biscuit, bun, cookie, hardtack, pretzel, rusk, saltine; concept 457 …   New thesaurus

  • cracker — ► NOUN 1) a paper cylinder which, when pulled apart, makes a sharp noise and releases a small toy or other novelty. 2) a firework that explodes with a crack. 3) a thin dry biscuit of a kind eaten with cheese. 4) Brit. informal a fine example of… …   English terms dictionary

  • cracker — 1. cracker [ krakɶr; krakɛr ] n. m. • déb. XIXe, repris 1962; mot angl., de to crack « craquer » ♦ Anglic. Petit biscuit salé et croustillant. « une soucoupe contenant encore quelques crackers » (Perec). cracker 2. cracker [ krakɶr; krakɛr ] n. m …   Encyclopédie Universelle

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