cracked up

Idioms  

1. Past tense of crack up .

2. cracked up to be . Reputed to be. This expression is always used in a negative way, as in I don't think this book is all it's cracked up to be . It relies on the now obsolete use of to crack up to mean “to praise extravagantly.” It appeared in The Kentuckian : “He is not the thing he is cracked up for” (May 28, 1829). [Early 1800s]

3. Under the influence of crack (a form of cocaine). For example, “Who's cracked up, who's cracked out, and who's dead?” ( World News Tonight , ABC-TV, May 12, 1992). [1980s]

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Example Sentences

We cracked up at that and recorded the moment.

From Los Angeles Times

“Gross!” the boy cried, and they cracked up.

From Literature

Owen narrowed his eyes, and George cracked up.

From Literature

Maybe investing like the “smart money” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Perhaps the tarte Philippe is not all it is cracked up to be,” she nearly said, for she did feel sorry for poor Lady Constance and wished to comfort her.

From Literature