1 C1 idiomatic slang
To make a serious mistake or completely ruin something through incompetence.
"He totally cacked up the presentation by forgetting the most important slides."
separable
cack up
C1 slang separable transitive
British slang: to ruin or spoil something by doing it badly or making a mistake.
In plain English
Make a big mistake and ruin something.
What does "cack up" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Usage tip
Crude British slang, not appropriate in formal contexts. 'Cack' is British slang for excrement. Less common than 'cock up' but used similarly. Regional, mostly northern British English.
Words that pair with "cack up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
interview presentation exam job plan
How to conjugate "cack up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
cack up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
cacks up
he/she/it
Past simple
cacked up
yesterday
Past participle
cacked up
have + pp
-ing form
cacking up
continuous
Hear "cack up" in the wild
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