crackle

Everyday

1. To crackle is to make a lot of short, sharp, small sounds, like a fire burning or paper being crushed. tree →
2. A crackle is one of these sounds, or a series of them. tree →
3. To crackle with something (excitement, energy) means to be full of it. tree →

In the lessons

In stories the fire crackles in the fireplace, leaves crackle underfoot, a radio crackles before a voice comes through. In science it is an example of sound: dry wood snaps and pops when it burns. Phrases: crackle of the fire, snap crackle and pop, crackle with excitement.

Examples

• The logs crackled in the fireplace. tree →
• Dry leaves crackled under our boots. tree →
• The radio crackled and then went silent. tree →
• I heard the crackle of a crisp packet. tree →
• The air crackled with excitement before the match. tree →
• Rice cereal crackles when you pour milk on it. tree →
• We sat by the crackling campfire. tree →
• The badger, hearing the crackle of the burning grass, asked, “What is that?” tree →

Note

Regular verb: crackled, crackling. An onomatopoeic word: it sounds like the noise it names. «Crackling» is also the crispy skin of roast pork. Compare: crack (one loud sound), crackle (many small ones).

In Jewish tradition

Ecclesiastes compares a fool's laughter to thorns crackling under a pot: loud and quick, but giving no lasting heat.

Interpretation. Read as a lesson that empty laughter is vanity. Thorn fire burns noisily but cooks nothing.

Examples

• For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool; this also is vanity. (Writings ECC.7.6, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Regular verb: crackled, crackling. An onomatopoeic word: it sounds like the noise it names. «Crackling» is also the crispy skin of roast pork. Compare: crack (one loud sound), crackle (many small ones).