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break English

Meaning break meaning

What does break mean?
Definitions in simple English

break Verb

— If you break something, you make it come apart in a way that cannot easily be put back together, usually by force. He injured his leg and broke his arm during the crash. When my brother died, my family broke apart. The airplane broke apart in the sky over Hawai'i. When the ice broke underneath me, I said to myself, I'm in trouble. — If something such as a machine breaks, it stops working because something is wrong. My car breaks down about once a week. — If you break a law, rule, promise, etc. you do something that you should not do. The police can't do anything if no laws are broken. These are the rules. Don't break the rules and I won't send you home. — If you break a surface, limit, record, etc., you go beyond it. In 1954 he set a new record of 3:59.4, breaking the old record by more than five minutes. Wilson broke barriers for women in journalism at a time when newsrooms were mostly male. — If you break free or out of something, you could not leave but now you leave. The police are looking for some prisoners who broke out of the jail. One of the dogs broke loose and ran at her. When she closed the door, everyone broke into laughter. — If you break, you stop for a short time to rest. We break for coffee at 10:00 every morning. — If day or morning breaks, it begins. The day was breaking as they packed up the tent. Dawn was just breaking when Helga Schneider climbed out of bed. — If you break something, you stop it suddenly. The sound of the door closing broke the silence. I didn't know my father, but with my son, I want to break that cycle of fathers leaving their sons. The show had been so magical that people didn't want to leave the theater, didn't want to break the spell. Smoking is such a hard habit to break. Mike had to leave to break up a fight between Ronni and Bridget. The rain finally broke on Monday evening. — If news breaks, it becomes known. — If your voice breaks, it changes because you are almost crying. "I wanted to say goodbye before he died", she said, her voice breaking. — If you break some money, you change a note into coins. I don't want to break a twenty just to buy matches.

break Noun

— A break is a time when something stops before starting again. We get a 15-minute break in the middle of the morning. I'll phone you during my lunch break. We're going to take a one-minute commercial break and we'll be right back. — A break (up) is an end of a relationship. We didn't see each other for years after the break up. — A break is a space between something continuous. The sun shone through a break in the clouds. — A break is a situation in which things are not as difficult. That job opening up just when she finished school was a lucky break for her. Give me a break. The new law would give middle-income families a $2,000 tax break. — A break is a place where something is broken. The break in his leg could be seen clearly on the x-ray.

break

— verb (= interrupt) terminate She interrupted her pregnancy break a lucky streak break the cycle of poverty — verb (= separate, fall apart) become separated into pieces or fragments The figurine broke The freshly baked loaf fell apart — verb render inoperable or ineffective You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart! — verb destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments He broke the glass plate She broke the match — verb (= bust) ruin completely He busted my radio! — verb (= offend, violate) act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises offend all laws of humanity violate the basic laws or human civilization break a law break a promise — verb (= erupt) force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up break into tears erupt in anger — verb scatter or part The clouds broke after the heavy downpour — verb (= break out) move away or escape suddenly The horses broke from the stable Three inmates broke jail Nobody can break out--this prison is high security — verb (= break off, stop) prevent completion stop the project break off the negotiations — verb (= break in) make submissive, obedient, or useful The horse was tough to break I broke in the new intern — noun (= interruption) some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity the telephone is an annoying interruption there was a break in the action when a player was hurt — verb (= break in) enter someone's (virtual or real) property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act Someone broke in while I was on vacation They broke into my car and stole my radio! who broke into my account last night? — verb come into being light broke over the horizon Voices broke in the air — noun (= good luck) an unexpected piece of good luck he finally got his big break — verb (= better) surpass in excellence She bettered her own record break a record — verb (= violate) fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns This sentence violates the rules of syntax — verb (= fail, die, go, break down) stop operating or functioning The engine finally went The car died on the road The bus we travelled in broke down on the way to town The coffee maker broke The engine failed on the way to town her eyesight went after the accident — verb (= unwrap, disclose, bring out, reveal) make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret The auction house would not disclose the price at which the van Gogh had sold The actress won't reveal how old she is bring out the truth he broke the news to her unwrap the evidence in the murder case — verb interrupt a continued activity She had broken with the traditional patterns — verb make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing The ranks broke — verb curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves The surf broke — verb be broken in If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress — noun (= breakage, breaking) the act of breaking something the breakage was unavoidable — noun (= time out) a pause from doing something (as work) we took a 10-minute break he took time out to recuperate — noun a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions) they hoped to avoid a break in relations — verb (= soften) lessen in force or effect soften a shock break a fall — noun (= fault, faulting, geological fault) (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other they built it right over a geological fault he studied the faulting of the earth's crust — verb (= recrudesce, develop) happen Report the news as it develops These political movements recrudesce from time to time — verb fall sharply stock prices broke — verb crack; of the male voice in puberty his voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir — verb weaken or destroy in spirit or body His resistance was broken a man broken by the terrible experience of near-death — verb diminish or discontinue abruptly The patient's fever broke last night — noun an abrupt change in the tone or register of the voice (as at puberty or due to emotion) then there was a break in her voice — noun the occurrence of breaking the break in the dam threatened the valley — noun (= gap) an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity it was presented without commercial breaks there was a gap in his account — noun a sudden dash he made a break for the open door — noun (tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving he was up two breaks in the second set — noun the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool — noun (= breakout) an escape from jail the breakout was carefully planned — verb emerge from the surface of a body of water The whales broke — verb exchange for smaller units of money I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy — verb destroy the completeness of a set of related items The book dealer would not break the set — verb make the opening shot that scatters the balls — verb separate from a clinch, in boxing The referee broke the boxers — verb invalidate by judicial action The will was broken — verb change directions suddenly — verb be released or become known; of news News of her death broke in the morning — verb interrupt the flow of current in break a circuit — verb change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another Her voice broke to a whisper when she started to talk about her children — verb find the solution or key to break the code — verb find a flaw in break an alibi break down a proof — verb undergo breaking The simple vowels broke in many Germanic languages — verb pierce or penetrate The blade broke her skin — verb become punctured or penetrated The skin broke — verb (= wear, wear out, fall apart) go to pieces The lawn mower finally broke The gears wore out The old chair finally fell apart completely — verb break a piece from a whole break a branch from a tree — verb come forth or begin from a state of latency The first winter storm broke over New York — verb cause the failure or ruin of His peccadilloes finally broke his marriage This play will either make or break the playwright — verb happen or take place Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months — verb give up break cigarette smoking — verb cause to give up a habit She finally broke herself of smoking cigarettes — verb vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity The flat plain was broken by tall mesas — verb come to an end The heat wave finally broke yesterday — noun any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare the break in the eighth frame cost him the match — verb (= fracture) fracture a bone of I broke my foot while playing hockey — noun (= fracture) breaking of hard tissue such as bone it was a nasty fracture the break seems to have been caused by a fall — verb (= crack) become fractured; break or crack on the surface only The glass cracked when it was heated — noun (= pause) a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something — verb (= pause) cease an action temporarily We pause for station identification let's break for lunch — verb (= smash) reduce to bankruptcy My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me! The slump in the financial markets smashed him — verb (= break dance, break-dance) do a break dance Kids were break-dancing at the street corner — verb (= demote) assign to a lower position; reduce in rank She was demoted because she always speaks up He was broken down to Sergeant — verb (= separate, split up, split) discontinue an association or relation; go different ways The business partners broke over a tax question The couple separated after 25 years of marriage My friend and I split up — verb (= collapse, give) break down, literally or metaphorically The wall collapsed The business collapsed The dam broke The roof collapsed The wall gave in The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice

Synonyms break synonyms

What other words have the same or similar meaning as break?

break English » English

crack snap split pause fracture smash tear destroy burst cut violate rest interruption recess interval break off intermission shatter break down break up interrupt breach crush rupture infringe transgress separate damage broken stop ruin suspension gap splinter respite dawn divide bust lull fall apart part collapse rift cleave breaking breakage give way disobey demolish cut off

Topics break topics

What do people use break to talk about?
Physical actions Divide into pieces

Break
Person Body condition

Rest
Physical actions Move Pursue

Escape
Person Healthy Disease

Skin disease
Person Healthy

Injure
Universe, creation Sky Weather

Storm

  • What words refer to a storm starting?
    break
Universe, creation Animal

Types of animals
Universe, creation Animal Animal life cycle

Egg
Person Healthy Symptom of disease

Fever

  • What words refer to a fever decreasing?
    fall break
Language and thought Communication Say

Promise
Social behavior Social activity

Holiday
Social behavior Prosperity, trouble Respond to someone in trouble

Save from trouble
Work and occupation Animal husbandry

Domesticated animal
Physical actions

Break, wear out
Physical actions Break, wear out

Damage
States Location Area

Interval, space
Universe, creation Water Movement of water

Wave
Work and occupation Finance Dishonest financial practices

Steal
Physical actions Arrange Join, attach

Remove, take apart
Person Body functions

Sweat
Person Life Marriage

Romantic love
Social behavior Relationships Begin a relationship

End a relationship
Universe, creation Sky

Sun
Person Body functions

Defecate, feces
Person Life Marriage

Divorce
Person Life Birth

Labor and birth pains
Language and thought

Emotion
Language and thought Emotion Feel bad

Sad
Language and thought Communication Sign, symbol

Facial expression
Language and thought Communication Sign, symbol

Cry, tear
Social behavior Relationships

Friend
Social behavior Social activity Come together, form a group Organization

Leave an organization
Social behavior Social activity Entertainment, recreation

Sports
Social behavior Social activity Entertainment, recreation Sports

Basketball
Social behavior Behavior Do good to

Enter by force
Social behavior Behavior Self-controlled

Lack self-control
Social behavior Authority Submit to authority

Disobey
Social behavior Law

Break the law
Social behavior Law Punish

Imprison
Social behavior Law Legal contract

Break a contract
Social behavior Conflict

War
Daily life Food Eat

Fast, not eat
Work and occupation Agriculture Land preparation

Plow a field
Work and occupation Tool

Machine
Physical actions Move Manner of movement Walk

Run
Physical actions Move Travel

Travel by water
Physical actions Arrange

Multiple things moving
States Time Relative time Order, sequence

First
States Time Continue, persevere

Interrupt

Conjugation break conjugation

How do you conjugate break?

break · verb

Examples break examples

How do I use break in a sentence?

Simple sentences

Don't break a mirror.
Give me a break.
Give me a break, please.
Break a leg.
When did World War II break out?
Please be careful not to break this vase.
Hey boys, stop fighting. Come on, break it up!
She saw him break the window.
You stole my bike, and now I'm going to break your face.
Can you break an egg with one hand?
The break is over.
Give me a break!
I slept a little during lunch break because I was so tired.
You have been thinking about this problem the whole morning. Take a break; go eat lunch.
Sometimes hockey players get so competitive that fights break out.
Did you break the window on purpose or by accident?
Let's take a break for coffee.
School will soon break up for the summer vacation.
We must work hard to break down social barriers.
Break this glass in case of fire.
In case of fire, break the glass and push the red button.
In case of fire, break this window.
Can you break away from your parents?
I wish I could break the habit of smoking.

Movie subtitles

If you like it, it's good no matter. If you don't like it, I break down.
I have a shooting close by here. It's a short break and I heard Yoon's song.
Didn't you break up with him?
Someone must break this chain asunder.
Garbage like you should just die where no one can. let's break this up.
Do you also want to break Rule Number 23?
Did he just break down and cry?
How could I break Rule 72? (Creepyus!
I won't break the rules again!
Give Elder Cunningham a break!
Even if we, we change some things, or we break the rules, or we have complete doubt that God exists.
We just did a whole bunch of it So we can take a break for a while.
The right donor came in to trigger the domino chain. It is our lucky break.
Bone marrow may have seeped out of the break and migrated.
They wanted to break us, but we and our Spanish friends will show them what 12,000 free men working on this Algerian land are capable of!
Love can break all barriers.
Break some skulls if you must, but no fire.
We got away with this over the break, but break's over.
Hey! I didn't see you all break.
Not that I'm complaining, but didn't we just come back from break?
If they were so in love, why did they break up?
They want to break you.
Break her out?
If you're gonna handcuff somebody, don't break their thumb.
If the ice does not break, it would be impossible to set sail for Scotland.
How do you break a kid's arm in self-defense?
What happens if it's safe for us, if it becomes safe for us to go home, to break cover?
And the idea that she's going out with somebody who, more than likely, would kill her, I think, is what drives her to break them up. Are you having sex with my daughter?
Give me a break.
It is our lucky break.
You want to break up with me.
Break up with you?
And, um, one of the things I realized is that I need to break my old patterns.
I am trying to break free of anything unhealthy or damaging.
Break old pat. I.
And break!
No, no break.
Okay, break.

News and current affairs

In this way we can break free of the institutionalised tug of war that has characterised EU relations.
Or they worry that the bulbs can spread poisonous mercury if they break.
Positioning himself as the candidate who represents a sharp break with today's unpopular politics is the only means to escape that fate.
Now we finally have a chance to break out of the downward spiral of economic decline.
Such a break is the only way to prevent over-speculation in the RMB, although de-pegging may cause some initial devaluation under current market conditions.
In the Middle East, we must break the stalemate.
But there are two pieces of good news that break through the gloom.
But many Arabs nowadays prefer to give the US a break.
After the Vietnam War, Jimmy Carter hoped to make a break with established US policy.
Fox has said that he is willing to break with old Mexican taboos, but the Bush administration has never taken him up on it.
Led by a literary scholar and an astronomer, this new residential college aims to break down interdisciplinary boundaries and enable students to learn from one another.
On many occasions in recent years, they have been the first to break sensitive news.
And if the electoral numbers break down right, she could conceivably assemble a collection of regional and left-wing parties and stake a claim to rule India.
The Sherman Act itself did not change this situation overnight, but, once President Theodore Roosevelt decided to take up the cause, it became a powerful tool that could be used to break up industrial and transportation monopolies.
In this respect, India more resembles the France with which Sarkozy wants to make a clean break than the current one.
The break with communism and reunification of Europe is now almost two decades old.
We Czechs know something about this, as the wrenching economic transition that we underwent in the 1990's taught us much about how the right policies can break the grip of hopelessness.
The findings seem to indicate that the next five years will be a make-or-break period for the region's future development.
EU leaders should take advantage of the break in the fighting to stop reacting and start anticipating.
Once high-flying small economies like Ireland, Hungary, and Iceland break down.
Unless we break the ugly trends of big money in politics and rampant consumerism, we risk winning economic productivity at the price of our humanity.
The world should beware. Unless we break the ugly trends of big money in politics and rampant consumerism, we risk winning economic productivity at the price of our humanity.

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