"read a book and crack the spine on purpose"
How did this expression evolve?
How did this expression evolve?
To crack the spine
The part of a book into which the pages are sewn/glued is the spine. The spine develops permanent creases along the lines of greatest stress.
To crack the spine of a book is to produce these creases deliberately. A cheap or badly glued book will audibly crack when you do so.
To crack the spine of a book is to produce these creases deliberately. A cheap or badly glued book will audibly crack when you do so.