In its archaic sense, cracked-up meant broke or penniless — to have one's financial situation crack apart completely. This is distinct from the more familiar modern use of cracked up as in not all it's cracked up to be (meaning not as good as claimed) or the informal sense of cracking up (laughing hard or having a breakdown). The penniless meaning has largely fallen out of use but is worth knowing for historical slang literacy.
He arrived back in London cracked-up after six months abroad, relying on friends for a meal and a floor to sleep on.
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(archaic, slang) ; penniless.
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