crack a joke

1. Make a joke, say something humorous, as in You can count on Grandpa to crack a joke on every occasion. This expression uses the verb to crack in the now obsolete sense of “briskly pronounce” or “boast.” [Early 1700s]

Example Sentences

He rose through the ranks quickly, thanks in part to his personality; he can be firm and direct one moment, and crack a joke at his own expense the next.

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When people of power are too scared to even crack a joke, what does that mean for the average person?

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So imagine, if you can, enduring everything she has and being able to crack a joke that "Studying abroad will change your life."

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He’d tell a related story, crack a joke and complain about his golf game.

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He’s quick to crack a joke while describing his often-tenuous living situations.

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