breach

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 [C,U] ~ of sth a failure to do sth that must be done by law: a breach of contract / copyright / warranty * They are in breach of Article 119. * (BrE) (a) breach of the peace (= the crime of behaving in a noisy or violent way in public) * Selling goods constituted a breach of regulation 10B. 2 [C,U] ~ of sth an action that breaks an agreement to behave in a particular way: a breach of confidence / trust * a breach of security (= when sth that is normally protected is no longer secure) 3 [C] a break in a relationship between people or countries: a breach in Franco-German relations 4 [C] an opening that is created during a military attack or by strong winds or seas: They escaped through a breach in the wire fence. * A breach in the mountain wall permits warm sea air to penetrate inland. IDIOMS see STEPv. verb [VN] 1 to not keep to an agreement or not keep a promise: The government is accused of breaching the terms of the treaty. 2 to make a hole in a wall, fence, etc. so that sb/sth can go through it: The dam had been breached. * Demonstrators breached police lines around the embassy.