[dim. and freq. of CRACK v.: see -LE.]
1. intr. To emit a rapid succession of slight cracks; to crepitate.
c. 1560. T. Ingelend, Disob. Child, in Dodsley, II. 315. My bones, alas, she will make to crackle.
c. 1657. Cowley, Misc., Death W. Harvey, ix. Condemn it to the Fire, and joy to hear It rage and crackle there.
1682. Creech, trans. Lucretius (1683), 190. The Leaves all crackle.
1791. Cowper, Odyss., IX. 80. Our tatter’d sail-cloth crackled in the wind.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. § 19. 332. During the time of cooling the ice crackled audibly from its contraction.
1872. Hardwick, Trad. Lanc., 179. Huge logs blazed and crackled.
† b. To trill or quaver in singing. (Used in contempt.) Obs.
a. 1500. Cuckow & Night., xxiv. My song is both true and plaine … though I cannot crakell so in vaine, As thou dost in thy throte.
† c. Lute-playing. (trans.) To play the notes of a chord in rapid succession instead of simultaneously; to execute an arpeggio. Obs.
1676. T. Mace, Musick’s Mon., 170. To crackle such three-part stops is only to divide each stop, with your thumb and two fingers, so as not to loose time, but give each crotchet its due quantity.
2. trans. To crush or break down with slight but rapidly continuous cracking; as in the case of anything hard and brittle.
1611. Cotgr., Crousiller entre les dents, to crash, or crackle betweene the teeth, as a nut shell.
1881. J. W. Ogle, Harveian Oration, 119. The clown who crackles his chestnuts at the Christmas fire.
† 3. intr. To crack and break off in small pieces. Obs.
1735. Dict. Polygraph., s.v. Colour, If there be too much gum, it will shine, and be apt to crackle off.
4. trans. To crack (jokes) in a small way. nonce-use.
1878. W. C. Smith, Hilda (1879), 181.
| He would put me into a book, I know, | |
| That wits might crackle their jests so droll. |
