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| break [ brayk ] |
verb (past broke [ brōk ], past participle bro·ken [ brṓkən ], present participle break·ing, 3rd person present singular breaks) |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb separate something into pieces: to become damaged and separate into pieces, or damage something so that it separates into pieces
  It broke in two.
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2. transitive and intransitive verb damage body part: to damage a hard body part such as a bone, or sustain such a break
She broke her leg.
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3. transitive and intransitive verb damage part of machine: to damage a part of a tool or machine so that it stops functioning properly, or become damaged and stop functioning properly
The washing machine is broken.
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4. transitive and intransitive verb tear surface: to become torn, or make a tear or hole in a surface or seal, allowing the possibility of a leak or spill
Store the milk in the refrigerator after breaking open the seal on the bottle.
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5. transitive verb disobey rule: to disobey a rule or law
He's broken the law.
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6. transitive verb go back on word: to renege on a promise or agreement
broke her word
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7. transitive verb end bad situation: to end, change, or rectify a difficult or disadvantageous situation
break the deadlock between rival factions
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8. transitive verb end silence: to end a period of silence
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9. transitive and intransitive verb finish relationship: to end an involvement with a person or group
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10. transitive verb end something: to finish something, bring it to an end, or stop somebody doing it
break the coffee-drinking habit
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11. transitive verb interrupt something: to interrupt something temporarily
The distraction broke her train of thought.
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12. transitive verb ruin somebody's life: to destroy somebody's career, resolve, courage, or hope of success
The media can make or break her.
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13. transitive and intransitive verb escape: to escape from a restraint
break free
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14. intransitive verb take period for rest: to take a rest period from work or an activity
break for lunch
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15. transitive verb stand between person and something: to stand in the way of or weaken the force of something such as a fall or blow
He tried to break her fall.
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16. transitive verb beat record: to beat a previous record
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17. transitive verb exceed limit: to exceed a limit or constraint
break the speed limit
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18. transitive and intransitive verb reveal or be revealed: to reveal something personally, or be revealed, particularly by the media
She broke it to me gently.
Panic ensued when the news broke.
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19. intransitive verb become deeper: to settle into an adult man's voice register
(
refers to a boy's voice
)
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20. intransitive verb stop speaking from emotion: to stop speaking and hesitate when overcome with emotion
Her voice broke and tears slid down her face.
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21. intransitive verb music change tone with register: to change in tone or quality when changing register
(
refers to voices or musical instruments
)
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22. intransitive verb become daylight: to become light at sunrise
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23. intransitive verb U.S. move suddenly: to move suddenly or quickly toward somebody or something
broke for the nearest shelter from the storm
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24. intransitive verb meteorology change weather pattern: to change after a settled period of weather
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25. intransitive verb meteorology suddenly start: to begin to rain, snow, or hail suddenly
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26. intransitive verb oceanography turn to surf: to start collapsing into surf when close to shore or hitting rocks or similar objects
(
refers to waves
)
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27. transitive verb interpret code: to understand a code and be able to translate it accurately
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28. transitive verb prove something untrue: to prove that something is untrue or wrong
new evidence that broke the defendant's alibi
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29. transitive verb law invalidate will: to use legal means to declare a will invalid
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30. transitive verb crime blow open safe: to open a safe using explosives
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31. transitive verb riding train horse to accept harness: to train a horse to become accustomed to a saddle, bit, and rider
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32. transitive verb money swap bill for change: to exchange a bill of money for smaller units of money, either coins or smaller bills and coins
break a $20 bill
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33. intransitive verb medicine flow out in childbirth: to flow out when the amniotic sac around an unborn baby breaks during the first stage of labor
(
refers to amniotic fluid
)
Her water has broken.
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34. intransitive verb turn out: to happen or turn out in a particular way
Things are breaking well.
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35. transitive verb reduce to poverty: to cause somebody to be extremely poor or bankrupt
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36. transitive and intransitive verb fish emerge out of water: to emerge or erupt above the surface of a body of water
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37. transitive verb military demote somebody: to demote somebody to a lower rank
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38. transitive verb electricity interrupt flow of electric current: to interrupt the flow of electricity in an electrical circuit
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39. intransitive verb stock exchange fall sharply: to fall in price
(
refers to stock exchange quotations
)
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40. transitive and intransitive verb tennis win game off opponent's service: in tennis, to win a game in which the other player is serving
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41. intransitive verb boxing wrestling separate from clinch: to separate after being in a boxing or wrestling clinch
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42. intransitive verb sports speed up in race: to increase speed suddenly in a race
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43. intransitive verb baseball change direction in air: to change direction while moving through the air
(
refers to a baseball
)
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44. intransitive verb cricket change direction on bouncing: to change direction after bouncing
(
refers to a cricket ball
)
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45. transitive verb cricket knock over wicket: in cricket, to hit and knock over a bail from the wicket
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46. intransitive verb horseracing start off in horserace: in horseracing, to start off at the start of a race
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47. intransitive verb cue games take first shot: in billiards or pool, to take the opening shot in a game or frame
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48. intransitive verb phonetics become diphthong: to change in pronunciation, becoming a diphthong
(
refers to vowels
)
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49. transitive verb Caribbean enter a place illegally: to enter a place illegally to steal
They broke two houses last night.
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50. intransitive verb Caribbean have orgasm: to have an orgasm
(
slang
)
(
usually refers to men
)
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noun (plural breaks) |
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| Definition: |
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1. period off from activity: a period taken away from an activity for a rest, change, or meal
a lunch break
Let's take a break now.
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2. brief vacation: a short vacation away from home
a weekend break
We needed to get away for a short break.
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3. period off before continuing: a period away from something before continuing it again
a career break
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4. U.K. education
Same as recessn (sense 1)
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5. end to relationship: the severance of links with a person or group or an end to a relationship
He wanted to make the break with his partner.
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6. end: an end to something
a break with tradition
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7. broadcasting marketing
Same as commercial break
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8. sports interval in match: an interval in a sports match
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9. pause in speech: a pause when speaking
a break in the conversation
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10. medicine fracture: a fracture in a bone
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11. crack: a crack in something
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12. meteorology weather change: a change in the weather
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13. lucky opportunity for success: an unexpected opportunity that allows somebody to achieve something or become successful
(
informal
)
He got his first break when he was spotted playing college football.
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14. piece of luck: a piece of good luck or bad luck
a lucky break
a bad break
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15. finance advantageous financial situation: an advantageous financial situation in which somebody is repaid or makes a reduced payment
a tax break
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16. escape attempt: a sudden attempt to escape
make a break for it
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17. discontinuity: a discontinuity in something, by which it changes in quality or level
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18. sunrise: the time when the sun first rises
(
literary
)
at the break of day
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19. tennis winning of game off opponent's service: in tennis, the winning of a game in which the other player is serving
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20. horseracing start of race: the start of a horserace
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21. electricity interruption in flow of electricity: an interruption in the flow of electricity in an electrical circuit
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22. music instrumental part in song: an instrumental part in a piece of pop music
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23. music improvised jazz solo: an improvised solo part in a piece of jazz music
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24. music change in register: a change in register in a voice or musical instrument
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25. poetry
Same as caesura (sense 1) (sense 2)
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26. stock exchange fall in prices: a sudden fall in prices, particularly in a stock market
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27. cue games series of successful shots: in billiards or pool, a sequence of successful shots in one player's turn, or the points scored from them
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28. cue games first shot that scatters balls: in billiards or pool, an opening shot, which in pool scatters the balls
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29. lawn bowling failure to knock down all pins: a failure to knock down all the pins in bowling after the second throw
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30. radio access to CB radio channel: access for a CB radio operator to a radio channel
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interjection |
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| Definition: |
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boxing wrestling used to separate fighters: used to command boxers or wrestlers to separate from a clinch
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| [ Old English brecan< Indo-European] |
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break even to make neither a profit nor a loss from a venture
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give somebody a break to stop nagging or criticizing somebody, or start treating somebody fairly (informal)
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if it ain't broke, don't fix it do not try to improve something that is satisfactory as it is (informal)
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make a clean break to end a relationship or association completely and permanently
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| Spelling Note |
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break or brake? Do not confuse the spelling of break and brake, which sound similar. Both words can be used as nouns or verbs, but break has a wider range of meaning and is the more frequent of the two, generally referring to separation, destruction, violation, or interruption, as in to break a window, to break the rules, a break for refreshments. Brake means "a device used to slow or stop a vehicle" or "apply a brake" and is sometimes used figuratively, as in put a brake on expenditure. Brake is also another word for bracken or undergrowth and the name of a type of fern.
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