Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Insane; mad.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective informal or slang crazy.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Plural form of cracker.
  • adjective informal Crazy; mad.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective informal or slang terms for mentally irregular

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Probably from cracker, breakdown.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From firecrackers in the head. Originally "He's got the crackers" then "He's gone crackers". Started as UK naval usage in the 1920's.

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Examples

  • Then there are the beloved tricks of the foley trade: Celery stalks are often broken to re-create the sound of breaking bones, or a watermelon covered in crackers is whacked with a stick to simulate the sound of someone's brains being bashed in.

    Movies: Ann Hornaday on use of sound effects in 'Secretariat' and other films Ann Hornaday 2010

  • But even dubious historically-named meat pastries were better than Jim's idea for a Mexican take-away called Caracka's - imagine Frank Carson pronouncing the word 'crackers' and you're not far off.

    WalesOnline - Home 2011

  • Buy your favorite whole-grain crackers, and make sure that the first ingredient is whole-wheat flour or another whole grain, such as rye.

    5 Healthy Snacks For People With (Or Without) Diabetes The Huffington Post News Team 2010

  • We also did the cold pizza thing, we made our version of lunchables with healthier options like whole grain crackers and reduced sodium lunchmeat, etc.

    Lunch Wars « Bored Mommy 2009

  • Best way to serve bland crackers is with those tiny french pickles (cornichons) and a pate made from the freshly obtained livers of white peepul my enemies.

    music crickwooder 2009

  • Instead of buying small packages of almonds, whole-grain crackers and carrots, buy larger bags and portion them yourself to save money, she says.

    Tightening the belt leads to a trimmer, healthier waistline 2009

  • • One-fourth cup low-fat cottage cheese and four whole-grain crackers

    USATODAY.com - Small bites for kids 2006

  • • One chopped hard-cooked egg and four medium whole-grain crackers

    USATODAY.com - Small bites for kids 2006

  • The difference between a baby happening upon a box of crackers and a ferret happening upon a box of crackers is simply time and scale.

    Random Snippets of Ferrettage 2004

  • Every one knows that the goodies in crackers are not of a very superior quality.

    The Brownies and Other Tales 1871

Comments

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  • This is a very

    democratic lounge:

    Schultz lectures logic,

    Fats is a binman.

    Fats gulps mild. Schultz pays.

    Schultz sips dry Vermouth.

    They are both crackers...

    - Peter Reading, 5x5x5x5x5, 1983

    July 1, 2008