[General] Crack Up

[yunaday]

"The ship cracked, leaking oil into the sea." "The ship cracked up, leaking oil into the sea."

Could one of them be incorrect, or could they have slightly different meanings?

 

[emsr2d2]

"The ship cracked, leaking oil into the sea." "The ship cracked up, leaking oil into the sea."

Could one of them be incorrect, or could they have slightly different meanings?

I think it needs to be more specific - "The ship's hull cracked...", but cracked or split would be correct.

"To crack up" doesn't really work here. That can mean to burst into laughter, to have a nervous breakdown or to cause someone else to burst into laughter. With a ship, when it finally breaks into many pieces and disappears under the water, we say it "breaks up".

 

[yunaday]

Then,

"The ship cracked, leaking oil into the sea."
"The ship cracked up, leaking oil into the sea."

are slightly incorrect. And,

"The ship's hull cracked, leaking oil into the sea."
"The ship's hull cracked up, leaking oil into the sea."

are more correct?

 

[JohnParis]

No, you are having a problem with "crack up".

When speaking about the structure of an oil tanker, you may say that the hull cracked but you should avoid saying anything relating to "crack up."

emsr2d2 was quite clear when she wrote " To crack up ... can mean to burst into laughter, to have a nervous breakdown or to cause someone else to burst into laughter. With a ship, when it finally breaks into many pieces and disappears under the water, we say it "breaks up".

The ship broke up leaving a large oil spill.

John