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| Sailing packet ship cir. 1850 - Internet |
Why Do We Say It?
By Cy Hudson
"Get Cracking"
Why do we say get cracking when we are in a hurry or rush to get some task started right away?
It is a nautical expression to set all sails and proceed at top speed, usually to the limits of safety for those particular conditions, a bold move especially in heavy weather. This was when the mail-ships or "Packets", as they were usually called, had a penalty clause written into their contacts for late delivery of the mails. These ships would crack on all possible sail to meet their contractual requirements; the expression comes from the fact that a mail ship in a hurry would set all sail such that the canvas & rigging were taut and (nearly) cracking under the strain. “We'll have to get cracking if we want to get there on time".
I came across this "get cracking" article the other day and I thought you might find it interesting. I did a Google search on the internet but no one seems to have picked up on it yet. It was in an obscure newsletter back in 1999. http://www.lakehuronlore.com/PDF/NewsLetters/Volume%2020,%20%20No%204,%20%20July-August%201999.pdf
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