ˈcrackerjack, n. and a. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
Also crackajack.
[A fanciful formation upon crack v. or cracker.]
A. n.
1. Something that is exceptionally fine or splendid. Also, a person who is exceptionally skilful or expert.
| 1895 W. C. Gore in Inlander Nov. 62 He got a crackerjack when he bought that horse. Ibid., As a pitcher he's a crackerjack. 1896 N.Y. Herald 2 Apr. 7/4 There are so many crackajacks in the lot that..some good men will have to..wait for a chance. 1897 Outing (U.S.) XXIX. 481/1 The old-fashioned dogs were heavier and slower than the latter-day crack-a-jack. 1898 Boston Globe 16 Aug. 7/3 This regiment is a crackerjack. 1909 ‘O. Henry’ Roads of Destiny iii. 51 If the story was a cracker-jack he had Mesrour, the executioner, whack off his head. 1925 Wodehouse Carry on, Jeeves! ii. 45, I couldn't be expected to foresee that the scheme, in itself a cracker-jack, would skid into the ditch as it had done. 1927 H. A. Vachell Dew of Sea 262 The M{supc}Cullough who was out with Prince Charlie in '45 challenged attention. ‘Looks a crackerjack,’ said Miss Angell. 1933 J. Buchan Prince of Captivity 219 I've got a crackerjack of an editor. 1963 Listener 14 Feb. 301/3 Our hero-worship of these crackerjacks in their leathers and goggles knew no moderation. |
2. (Proprietary term.) A sweetmeat composed chiefly of popcorn and syrup. U.S.
| 1902 Sears, Roebuck Catal. 20/3 Cracker Jack... Price, per case of 100 packages 2.85. 1905 R. Beach Pardners (1912) i. 31, I bought a dollar's worth of everything, from cracker-jack to cantaloupe. 1947 E. W. Barkins Dr. has Baby 131 She dangled a red balloon, ate popcorn, peanuts and Cracker Jacks. |
B. adj. Exceptionally fine or good; of marked excellence or ability.
| 1910 O. Johnson Varmint iii. 43 Say, by the way, look out—he's a crackerjack boxer. 1911 R. D. Saunders Col. Todhunter ix. 123 You've given me a cracker-jack talk on Missouri politics. 1920 C. H. Stagg High Speed vi, It was a crackajack piece of work for a chauffeur. 1956 Times 1 Aug., A highly mobile, well-equipped, crack-a-jack, small Regular Army. 1966 Punch 19 Jan. 101/3 These seventy-odd pieces of crackerjack journalism begin with Walter Lippmann's putting Mr. Rockefeller in the witness stand sometime in 1915. |