EnglishMain Dictionary
break
Universal Words
verb, noun
verb
(broke )
in pieces
1 ~ (sth) (in / into sth) to be damaged and separated into two or more parts, as a result of force; to damage sth in this way:
[V] All the windows broke with the force of the blast. * The bag broke under the weight of the bottles inside it. * She dropped the plate and it broke into pieces. * [VN] to break a cup / window * She fell off a ladder and broke her arm. * He broke the chocolate in two.
stop working
2 to stop working as a result of being damaged; to damage sth and stop it from working:
[V] My watch has broken. * [VN] I think I've broken the washing machine.
skin
3 [VN] to cut the surface of the skin and make it bleed:
The dog bit me but didn't break the skin.
law / promise
4 [VN] to do sth that is against the law; to not keep a promise, etc:
to break the law / rules / conditions * to break an agreement / a contract / a promise / your word * to break an appointment (= not to come to it) * He was breaking the speed limit (= travelling faster than the law allows).
stop for short time
5 ~ (for sth) to stop doing sth for a while, especially when it is time to eat or have a drink:
[V] Let's break for lunch. * [VN] a broken night's sleep (= a night during which you often wake up) * (especially BrE) We broke our journey at Oxford (= stopped in Oxford on the way to the place we were going to).
end sth
6 [VN] to interrupt sth so that it ends suddenly:
She broke the silence by coughing. * A tree broke his fall (= stopped him as he was falling). * The phone rang and broke my train of thought. * Someone laughed suddenly and the spell was broken.
7 [VN] to make sth end by using force or strong action:
an attempt to break the year-long siege * Management has not succeeded in breaking the strike.
8 [VN] to end a connection with sth or a relationship with sb:
He broke all links with the Communist party.
escape
9 [V+adv./prep.] ~ free (from sb/sth) (of a person or an object) to get away from or out of a position in which they are stuck or trapped:
He finally managed to break free from his attacker.
destroy
10 to destroy sth or make sb/sth weaker; to become weak or be destroyed:
[VN] to break sb's morale / resistance / resolve / spirit * The government was determined to break the power of the trade unions. * The scandal broke him (= ruined his reputation and destroyed his confidence). * [V] She broke under questioning (= was no longer able to bear it) and confessed to everything.
make sb feel bad
11 [VN] to make sb feel so sad, lonely, etc. that they cannot live a normal life:
The death of his wife broke him completely.
of weather
12 [V] to change suddenly, usually after a period when it has been fine
show opening
13 [V] to show an opening:
The clouds broke and the sun came out.
of day / dawn / storm
14 [V] when the day or DAWN or a storm breaks, it begins:
Dawn was breaking when they finally left.
seealsoDAYBREAK
of news
15 [V] if a piece of news breaks, it becomes known:
There was a public outcry when the scandal broke.
of voice
16 [V] if sb's voice breaks, it changes its tone because of emotion:
Her voice broke as she told us the dreadful news.
17 [V] when a boy's voice breaks, it becomes permanently deeper at about the age of 13 or 14
a record
18 [VN] to do sth better, faster, etc. than anyone has ever done it before:
She had broken the world 100 metres record. * The movie broke all box-office records.
of waves
19 [V] when waves break, they fall and are dissolved into FOAM, usually near the shore:
the sound of waves breaking on the beach * The sea was breaking over the wrecked ship.
sth secret
20 [VN] to find the meaning of sth secret:
to break a code
money
21 [VN] (especially AmE) to change a BANKNOTE for coins:
Can you break a twenty dollar bill?
IDIOMS
Idioms containing break are at the entries for the nouns and adjectives in the idioms, for example break sb's heart is at heart.
PHRASALVERBS
break away (from sb/sth)
1 to escape suddenly from sb who is holding you or keeping you prisoner:
The prisoner broke away from his guards.
2 to leave a political party, state, etc., especially to form a new one:
The people of the province wished to break away and form a new state.
relatednounBREAKAWAY
3 to move away from a crowd or group, especially in a race:
She broke away from the pack and opened up a two second lead.
break down
1 (of a machine or vehicle) to stop working because of a fault:
The telephone system has broken down. * We (= the car) broke down on the freeway.
relatednounBREAKDOWN
2 to fail:
Negotiations between the two sides have broken down.
relatednounBREAKDOWN
3 to become very bad:
Her health broke down under the pressure of work.
seealsoNERVOUSBREAKDOWN
4 to lose control of your feelings and start crying:
He broke down and wept when he heard the news.
5 to divide into parts to be analysed:
Expenditure on the project breaks down as follows: wages $10m, plant $4m, raw materials $5m.
break sth<->down
1 to make sth fall down, open, etc. by hitting it hard:
Firefighters had to break the door down to reach the people trapped inside.
2 to destroy sth or make it disappear, especially a particular feeling or attitude that sb has:
to break down resistance / opposition * to break down sb's reserve / shyness * Attempts must be made to break down the barriers of fear and hostility which divide the two communities.
3 to divide sth into parts in order to analyse it or make it easier to do:
Break your expenditure down into bills, food and other. * Each lesson is broken down into several units.
relatednounBREAKDOWN
4 to make a substance separate into parts or change into a different form in a chemical process:
Sugar and starch are broken down in the stomach.
relatednounBREAKDOWN
break for sth to suddenly run towards sth when you are trying to escape:
She had to hold him back as he tried to break for the door.
break in to enter a building by force:
Burglars had broken in while we were away.
relatednounBREAK-IN
break sb/sth in
1 to train sb/sth in sth new that they must do:
to break in new recruits * The young horse was not yet broken in (= trained to carry a rider).
2 to wear sth, especially new shoes, until they become comfortable
break in (on sth) to interrupt or disturb sth:
She longed to break in on their conversation but didn't want to appear rude. * [+speech] 'I didn't do it!' she broke in.
break into sth
1 to enter a building by force; to open a car, etc. by force:
We had our car broken into last week.
relatednounBREAK-IN
2 to begin laughing, singing, etc. suddenly:
As the President's car drew up, the crowd broke into loud applause.
3 to suddenly start running; to start running faster than before:
He broke into a run when he saw the police. * Her horse broke into a trot.
4 (BrE) to use a BANKNOTE of high value to buy sth that costs less:
I had to break into a ｣20 to pay the bus fare.
5 to open and use sth that has been kept for an emergency:
They had to break into the emergency food supplies.
6 to be successful when you get involved in sth:
The company is having difficulty breaking into new markets.
break off
1 to become separated from sth as a result of force:
The back section of the plane had broken off.
2 to stop speaking or stop doing sth for a time:
He broke off in the middle of a sentence.
break sth<->off
1 to separate sth, using force:
She broke off a piece of chocolate and gave it to me.
2 to end sth suddenly:
Britain threatened to break off diplomatic relations. * They've broken off their engagement.
break out (of war, fighting or other unpleasant events) to start suddenly:
They had escaped to America shortly before war broke out in 1939. * Fighting had broken out between rival groups of fans. * Fire broke out during the night.
relatednounOUTBREAK
break out (of sth) to escape from a place or situation:
Several prisoners broke out of the jail. * She needed to break out of her daily routine and do something exciting.
relatednounBREAKOUT
break out in sth to suddenly become covered in sth:
Her face broke out in a rash. * He broke out in a cold sweat (= for example, through fear).
break through to make new and important discoveries:
Scientists think they are beginning to break through in the fight against cancer.
relatednounBREAKTHROUGH
break through
