get cracking
to start doing something or going somewhere quickly

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

hurry to go somewhere or do something more quickly than usual, for example because you are late or you must finish something soon:
If you don’t hurry, you’ll miss the bus.
We have plenty of time. There’s no need to hurry.
rush to go somewhere very quickly, or to do something too quickly and without thinking carefully enough:
Everyone rushed out into the street to see what was happening.
Try to answer the questions calmly, without rushing.
A police car rushed past.
dash to go somewhere very quickly, especially because there is something important or urgent you must do:
I’ve got to dash to the shops to get some more milk.
She had to dash off and get the kids from school.
in a hurry/in a rush doing something quickly because you do not have much time, usually with the result that you make mistakes:
She had left in a hurry, and forgotten her passport.
I had to choose a present for her in a rush.
get a move on/get moving informal to start to do something or go somewhere more quickly than before:
Get a move on – it’s already 8 o'clock!
I think we’d better get moving, it’s only five minutes to boarding time.
get cracking informal to start working quickly:
It’s time you got cracking with your homework.
When Alfie arrives we’ll get cracking moving the furniture.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

start to begin doing something:
I’m starting a new job next week.
It’s time we started.
begin to start doing something. Begin is more formal than start, and is used especially in written English:
He began to speak.
The orchestra began playing.
Shall we begin?
commence formal to start doing something:
The company will commence drilling next week.
Work was commenced on the next power station.
get down to something to finally start doing something, especially your work:
Come on, Sam – it’s time you got down to some homework.
We’d better get down to business.
set off to start a journey:
What time do you have to set off in the morning?
I usually set off for work at about 8.30.
set out to start a long journey:
The ship set out from Portsmouth on July 12th.
embark on something especially written to start something, especially something new, difficult, or exciting:
The Law Society has embarked on a major programme of reform.
Jamaica was embarking on a decade of musical creativity.
resume formal to start doing something again after stopping it or being interrupted:
Normal train services will be resumed on April 5th.
Trade was resumed after the end of the war.
get cracking informal to start doing something or going somewhere:
I think we should get cracking straightaway.
start/begin to begin:
What time does the film start?
open to start being shown to the public – used about a play, show, or exhibition:
Lloyd Webber’s new musical opened in London last week.
A major exhibition of her work will open in New York in November.
get under way to start happening or being done – used especially about something that is likely to last a long time:
Construction work is getting under way on a new train network.
Discussions concerning the plan got under way on April 2.
break out to start happening – used especially about a fire, a fight, war, or a disease:
Police were called in when fighting broke out in the crowd.
The blaze broke out on the third floor of the hotel.
kick off informal to start – used especially about a football game or a meeting:
The match is due to kick off this afternoon at Wembley Stadium.
What time will the celebrations kick off?
a good/great start
A 3-0 win is a good start for the team.
a flying start (=a very good start)
The appeal got off to a flying start at the weekend when the group held a raffle.
a promising start (=a good start that makes success seem likely)
Her teacher says she's made a promising start in learning Spanish.
a bad/poor/disastrous start
Things got off to a bad start when two people turned up late.
a rocky/shaky start (=a rather bad start)
After a shaky start, they managed two wins in five matches.
a disappointing start
He accepted full responsibility for the club’s disappointing start to the season.
a slow start
Work got off to a very slow start because of bad weather.
an auspicious/inauspicious start (=one that makes it seem likely that something will be good or bad)
His second term in office has got off to an extremely inauspicious start.
an early/late start
It was long trip so we had planned an early start.
get off to a good/bad etc start
On your first day at work, you want to get off to a good start.
make a good/bad/early etc start
He made a flying start at college, but then he didn't manage to keep it up.
have a good/bad etc start
We’ve had a disappointing start but we are hoping to improve.
beginning the first part of something such as a story, event, or period of time:
The beginning of the movie is very violent.
Let’s go back to the beginning.
commencement formal the beginning of something – used especially in official contexts:
the commencement of the academic year
the commencement of the contract
origin the point from which something starts to exist:
He wrote a book about the origins of the universe.
The tradition has its origins in medieval times.
the onset of something the time when something bad begins, such as illness, old age, or cold weather:
the onset of winter
An active lifestyle can delay the onset of many diseases common to aging.
dawn literary the beginning of an important period of time in history:
People have worshipped gods since the dawn of civilization.
birth the beginning of something important that will change many people’s lives:
the birth of democracy in South Africa
the birth of the environmental movement

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

get cracking
to begin working without delay.
If you plan on growing these flowers from seed, you better get cracking now.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

Get cracking!
[informal]
something that you say in order to tell someone to hurry.
Get cracking! We're leaving in 5 minutes.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

get cracking
to hurry up, to start moving fast, to get started
We must get cracking on this job if we want to finish it before dinner.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

get cracking
To begin to move; get started.
The teacher told Walter to get going on his history lesson.
The foreman told the workmen to get cracking.
Let's get going. It's almost supper time.
Compare: GET DOWN TO, STEP LIVELY.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲