Way With Words: Cracked Up To Be

Everybody is raving about that new place that opened up: the food is great, the atmosphere is awesome and the waitresses are all nine out of ten.

So you decided to check it out: the food was bland, the atmosphere was mediocre, and you’re certain no one would have ever put your waitress higher than a five.

The place was “not all it’s cracked up to be.”

Wait, what does ‘cracked’ have anything to do with a new restaurant?

No, it has nothing to do with eggs.

Knowyourphrase.com has the etymological answer, “The word ‘craic’ or ‘crack’ is said to have derived from the Middle English word crak, which means ‘loud conversation, bragging talk’".

So whatever the gossip is, the ‘craic’ is what everyone is saying. If something fails your expectations, it’s “not all it’s cracked up to be.”

Usage of this word is very common despite few knowing the origin, but now you can count yourself as one of the knowledgeable few.