To crack the whip in the figurative sense is from 1886. Who invented cracker jack, the classic popcorn snack. Us, slang, in the plural the traditional blue uniforms of the enlisted men of the us navy. Poor harry knew he had a specially, and a crackerjack, and its up to me to find it. An individual of marked ability or excellence, esp. Cracker meaning in the cambridge english dictionary.
The late 19thcentury pairing of crack and jack to form crackerjack topped off a long history for those words. Crackerjack definition is a person or thing of marked excellence. Information and translations of cracker jack in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. However, crackerjack was also a slang expression that meant something pleasing or excellent. It was named by an enthusiastic sampler who remarked. Cracker jacks sailor jack and his dog bingo were introduced in 1916 and registered as a trademark in 1919. Information and translations of crackerjack in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web.
Cracker jack caramelcoated popcorn and peanuts was, according to company. Cracker jack synonyms, cracker jack pronunciation, cracker jack translation, english dictionary definition of cracker jack. Crackerjack is a colloquialism meaning of excellent quality. Find out the meaning of crackerjack and the meaning of many other words to describe someone at. The phrase crackerbarrel was inspired by the barrels full of soda crackers that were for sale in the countrys country stores.
Actually the words cracker jack was a slang expression on those days, meaning something very pleasing. Crackerjack definition of crackerjack by the free dictionary. Every box comes with a prize usually a little puzzle, temporary tattoo, or a valid georgia drivers license. Cracker has also been used as a proud or jocular selfdescription in the past. The two brothers selling it at the fair looked at each other, winked, looked back at. A preparation of popped corn, candied and pressed into small cakes. A term in southeastern united states english to describe poor white trash, derived from the scottish meaning of the verb to crack, which, in this sense denotes ostentation. Cracker jack is an american brand of snack food consisting of molassesflavored, caramelcoated popcorn and peanuts, well known for being packaged with a prize of trivial value inside. Cracker jack has a history as rich as its caramel coating and as nutty as its peanuts. Cracker jack definition of cracker jack by medical. The more you eat, the more you want, were registered. Legend has it that the name cracker jack came from a customer who, upon trying the treat, exclaimed, that really a cracker jack. But it turns out crackers roots go back even further than the 17th century. The name was created at the chicago world fair when a sailor tried it and exclaimed in surprise thats a cracker jack.
Crackerjack definition and meaning collins english. Cracker jack caramelcoated popcorn and peanuts was, according to company lore, named by salesman john berg, who exclaimed upon first trying the product. Here in britain its inextricably linked to a bbc childrens tv programme of that name, which ran from 1955 to 1984. Its sold in oldschool boxes which come in a three pack and although the primary. I really doubt that cracker has even existed as a racial slur for that long. The name cracker jack was still used, and the snack food continued to gain popularity. Synonyms for crackerjack include ace, adept, artist, authority, cognoscente, connoisseur, dab, expert, fiend and geek. Some of these doctors are buying their degrees or getting them in crackerjack boxes, plus all the insourced doctors with degrees from high schools all over the world.
The term crackerbarrel was first used in 1916, and it emerged from the country stores of the era. That is roughly equal to the ratio of unit sales among the hawked items, haggerty said, meaning that about 8 of 90 items sold about 10 percent are cracker jack. Learn more about the history of cracker jacks and the legends of popcorn. Sailor jack and his dog bingo were invented in 1918, and trademarked in 1919. Frederick law olmsted, a prominent landscape architect. Today, cracker is often used as a derogatory term for a white person for obvious reasons. Legend has it that the name cracker jack came from a customer who. Crackerjack definition of crackerjack by merriamwebster. This is more likely to have been the origin of the name. It is possible the name you are searching has less than five occurrences per year. You may also know cracker jack as a snack of candied popcorn and peanuts. Legend notes that the name cracker jack came into use when a customer who tried the product, exclaimed thats really a cracker jack. The us term crackerjack has had a complicated history.
Synonyms for crackerjack at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. Social security administration public data, the first name thundercracker was not present. Gently stir in the oatmeal, coconut, rice cereal and chopped peanuts, try not to pulverize the rice cereal. He was a connoisseur, for he had said that the picture was a crackerjack. A tasty treat consisting of popcorn, peanuts and a caramel candy coating. The possible first american junk food was the dream of an immigrant that went from the worlds fair to ball games across the united states in a matter of years adults enjoyed the snack for its sweetness and crunch, children loved it for the cool prizes and baseball cards inside. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, stir into the creamed mixture.
At the end of the song, when george harrison sins know that the lord is well and inside of you, many people think george is singing about god being inside each and every one of us. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar. He drifted into seal hunting and became a crackerjack. The root of crackerjack is an antiquated sense of the verb to crack meaning to boast or. From the trademark cracker jack popcorn snack featuring a blue sailorsuited man on the box. Sailor jack was modeled after robert rueckheim, grandson of frederick.
All the way back to the age of shakespeare, at least. Then it was appropriated for a brand of caramel corn. Once i had a little dog i called him cracker jack he had a spot around one eye that looked just like a patch his legs were way too long and he was awkward as could be. Its sold in oldschool boxes which come in a three pack and although the primary consumers are young children, its invariably located on the top shelf of the supermarket isle. I was of the impression that cracker jack was originally used to describe a squaredaway us sailor, related to the early meaning of the term crack which you described in a recent article, and with jack tar for a sailor. Cracker jack is the character on the cracker jack box. The most common is someone who is really bright and studious and knows the answers to all the questions, or does something really well. Cracker jack definition of cracker jack by the free. The name cracker jacktm is now a trademark for a similar confection. Crackerjack dictionary definition crackerjack defined.
Theyre modelled after the yukon poling boats, and you can bet your life theyre crackerjacks. In 1916, 20 years after the snack food was first manufactured and sold, the company founders decided that a mascot was needed to supplement the brightly colored branding featured on the cracker jack packaging. At the time, crackerjack was a current popular slang adjective meaning excellent, exceptionally fine, or splendid, and as a noun meant a skillful or expert person. Homemade cracker jacks recipe, whats cooking americ. He is a real cracker jack when it comes to getting people to bid. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Some believe rueckheim may have come up with the name. It implies a person who lives in the utmost worst conditions and a person who no one really cares about.
Prior to that, crack was a noun meaning something superior and a verb meaning to boast. Crackerjack definition, a person or thing that shows marked ability or excellence. Slang a person or thing of recognized excellence 2. When used as an adjective, the word crackerjack meansbest. Cracker is an elongation of crack, an adjective meaning expert or superior that dates from the 18th century. I should explain to your lordship what is meant by crackers. Heck, the whole concept of white as a race is relatively recent. George harrison wrote the whimsical, silly song crackerbox palace in honor of lord buckley. Baseballs prized players is the 100th anniversary commemoration of one of the most extensive, treasured, and valuable collections of old baseball cards originally packaged inside cracker jack r snack boxes.
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