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| brake [ brayk ] |
noun (plural brakes) |
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| Definition: |
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1. device that slows or stops machine: the part of a machine or vehicle that slows it down or stops it
(
often used in the plural
)
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2. restraint: a slowing down or stopping of something such as expenditure or development, or something that causes this
  The brake on investment is largely a result of political factors.
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verb (past and past participle braked, present participle brak·ing, 3rd person present singular brakes) |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb slow or stop machine: to slow down or stop, or make something such as a vehicle or a machine slow down or stop
The driver braked hard.
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2. transitive verb slow or halt development: to slow down or halt the progress of something or an increase in something
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| [Late 18th century. Perhaps <brake4] |
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