crack down
To take harsh action, as when enforcing a law or rule more stringently than beforeTo take harsh action (against), as when enforcing a law or rule more stringently than before.
» We have to crack down on illegal trading.
Dreamk33 · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
1 senses(idiomatic, often)To take harsh action (against), as when enforcing a law or rule more stringently than before.
The authorities are trying to crack down on drunk driving during the holidays.
At this point they're hoping that the government will crack down and will put an end to deceptive rental offerings.
hart durchgreifen (bei), scharf vorgehen (gegen)
подавля́тьpodavljátʹ, подави́тьpodavítʹ, предпринима́тьpredprinimátʹ
- repress or suppress (something regarded as undesirable)
Examples
15 sentencesWe have to crack down on illegal trading.
Tebboune promised to crack down on corruption.
The government is cracking down on tax avoidance schemes.
ruПравительство принимает серьёзные меры против схем ухода от налогов. — megaton
The crack comes down from the top of the windshield.
The government wants to crack down on the gambling industry.
Translations
5 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Forms
cracks down, cracking down, cracked down, cracked down| Base form | crack down · to crack down |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | cracks down |
| Present participle | cracking down |
| Past simple | cracked down |
| Past participle | cracked down |
irregular
Phrasal verbs
7 phrasal verbs- crack upруйнуватися, розпадатисяTo laugh heartily.
- crack outвтікти, спалахуватиTo show signs or symptoms of excessive crack cocaine use.
- crack offTo shoot a gun.
- crack onTo continue (at a task) briskly or promptly.
- crack downTo take harsh action (against), as when enforcing a law or rule more stringently than before.
- crack throughTo penetrate
- crack alongTo move quickly; to continue with work briskly.
Synonyms
1 synonyms- repress or suppress (something regarded as undesirable):clamp down
Word family
1 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Phrasal verbs: introduction — Because it is a phrasal verb
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.