What does cracked a book mean?

Answer 1

"Cracking a book" means, basically, opening it (and then reading it, or especially studying it). The term comes from the fact that older books, especially those with leather covers, were prone to cracking the spine when opened (this still happens with modern books, but somewhat different binding techniques are used to mitigate this).

Answer 2

You crack a book open when you open it to read or study from it. This also implies that you have been neglecting your studies. The first time you open the book that has never been opened before, the binding might crack a little, since the glue in the binding is tight and has never been stretched before.

Answer 3

It is a vivid way to describe someone opening a book to read it.

Answer 4

"Cracked a book" is a colloquial phrase that means to open a book to start reading or studying it. It usually implies a casual or initial attempt to engage with the content of the book.