Meaning & use
nutcracker
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A tool used for cracking open the hard shells of nuts.
Grammar: Countable: a nutcracker, two nutcrackers. Often used in the plural pair 'nutcrackers' for the hinged tool.
Patterns
- use a nutcracker
- a pair of nutcrackers
She used a nutcracker to open the walnuts.
The nutcracker broke after years of use.
He bought a fancy silver nutcracker for the holidays.
nouncountable
A decorative figure, often a toy soldier with a large mouth, especially associated with the ballet 'The Nutcracker'.
Grammar: Countable: one nutcracker, many nutcrackers. Often capitalized in the ballet title.
Patterns
- a wooden nutcracker
- the Nutcracker ballet
They collect wooden nutcrackers from Germany.
We saw 'The Nutcracker' at the theater last winter.
A giant nutcracker stood by the Christmas tree.
Word forms
| plural | nutcrackers |
|---|
Common combinations
- use a nutcracker
- Use a nutcracker to crack these tough shells.
- a pair of nutcrackers
- She keeps a pair of nutcrackers in the kitchen drawer.
- a wooden nutcracker
- The wooden nutcracker was painted like a soldier.
- The Nutcracker ballet
- The Nutcracker ballet is a holiday tradition.
Practice
What is a nutcracker primarily used for?
Choose one answer.
A nutcracker is a tool for cracking nuts. It can also be a decoration, but that is a secondary use; it is not for eggs or playing music.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nutcracker”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.