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1. Dictionary

   break

   /breɪk/

   verb

   • 1. separate or cause to separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain: "the branch broke with a loud snap" Similar shattersmashsmash to smithereenscracksnapfracturefragmentsplinterdisintegratefall to bitsfall to piecessplitburstblow outtearrendseverruptureseparatedivideinformal:bustrare:shiverOpposite repairmend
   • ▪ sustain an injury involving the fracture of a bone or bones in a part of the body: "she had broken her leg in two places" Similar fracturecracksmash
   • ▪ cause a cut or graze in (the skin): "the bite had scarcely broken the skin" Similar piercepuncturepenetrateperforatecutgrazemake a flesh wound in
   • ▪ make or become inoperative: "the machine has broken and they can't fix it until next week" Similar stop workingcease to work/functionbreak downgo wronggive outdevelop a faultmalfunctionbe damagedbe unusablecrashinformal:go kaputgo/be on the blinkdiegive up the ghostconk outgo phutgo haywirehave had itpack up
   • ▪ (of the amniotic fluid surrounding a fetus) be discharged when the sac is ruptured in the first stages of labour: "she realized her waters had broken"
   • ▪ open (a safe) forcibly. informal
   • ▪ use (a banknote) to pay for something and receive change out of the transaction: "she had to break a tenner"
   • ▪ (of two boxers or wrestlers) come out of a clinch, especially at the referee's command: "I was acting as referee and telling them to break"
   • ▪ make the first stroke at the beginning of a game of billiards, pool, or snooker.
   • ▪ unfurl (a flag or sail).
   • ▪ succeed in deciphering (a code): "ciphers are easily broken by the new wonder machines" Similar decipherdecodedecryptunravelsolvework outinformal:crackfigure out
   • ▪ disprove (an alibi).
   • 2. interrupt (a sequence, course, or continuous state): "this broke the pattern of generations remaining in the place where they were born" Similar interruptdisturbinterfere with
   • ▪ put an end to (a silence) by speaking or making contact: "it was some time before he broke the silence"
   • ▪ make a pause in (a journey): British "we will break our journey in Venice"
   • ▪ rest or stop proceedings for a while: "at mid-morning they broke for coffee" Similar stoppausetake/have a breakhave a restrecesssuspend proceedingsinformal:knock offtake/have a breathertake fiveOpposite resume
   • ▪ lessen the impact of (a fall): "she put out an arm to break her fall" Similar cushionlessen/reduce/soften the impact oftake the edge offdiminishmoderatemitigate
   • ▪ disconnect or interrupt (an electric circuit): "a multimeter able to measure current without having to break the circuit under test"
   • ▪ stop oneself from engaging in (a habitual practice): "try to break the habit of adding salt at the table" Similar give uprelinquishdropget out ofinformal:kickshakepack inquit
   • ▪ surpass (a record): "the film broke box office records in the US" Similar exceedsurpassbeatbettercaptoptrumpoutdooutstripgo beyondeclipseput in the shadeinformal:leave standing
   • 3. fail to observe (a law, regulation, or agreement): "the council says it will prosecute traders who break the law" Similar contraveneviolatefail to comply withfail to observedisobeyinfringebreachcommit a breach oftransgress againstdefyfloutfly in the face ofignoredisregardinfractOpposite keepabide by
   • ▪ fail to continue with (a self-imposed discipline): "diets started without preparation are broken all the time"
   • 4. crush the emotional strength, spirit, or resistance of: "the idea was to better the prisoners, not to break them"
   • ▪ (of a person's emotional strength or control) give way: "her self-control finally broke" Similar give waycollapsecrackbe overcomegive incave inyieldcrumplego to pieces
   • ▪ destroy the power of (a movement or organization): "the management are out to break the union" Similar destroycrushsmashquashdefeatvanquishovercomeoverpoweroverwhelmcripplebring someone to their kneesweakenenfeeblesapsuppresssubduecowdispiritimpairunderminedemoralizeincapacitateextinguish
   • ▪ destroy the effectiveness of (a strike), typically by bringing in other people to replace the striking workers: "the company has attempted to break the strike using non-union labour"
   • ▪ tame or train (a horse).
   • 5. (of the weather) change suddenly, especially after a fine spell: "the weather broke and thunder rumbled through a leaden sky" Similar changeundergo a changealtershiftmetamorphose
   • ▪ (of a storm) begin violently: "when all were aboard, the storm broke"
   • ▪ (of dawn or a day) begin as the sun rises: "dawn was just breaking" Similar dawnbeginstartcome into beingcome forthemergeappear
   • ▪ (of clouds) move apart and begin to disperse: "on the seventh of September the clouds broke for the first time"
   • ▪ (of waves) curl over and dissolve into foam: "the Caribbean sea was breaking gently on the shore" Similar crashdashbeatpoundlashbatter
   • ▪ (of a person's voice) falter and change tone, due to emotion: "her voice broke as she relived the experience" Similar falterquaverquivertrembleshake
   • ▪ (of a boy's voice) change in tone and register at puberty: "after his voice broke, he left the choir"
   • ▪ (of a vowel) develop into a diphthong, under the influence of an adjacent sound.
   • ▪ (of prices on the stock exchange) fall sharply.
   • 6. (of news or a scandal) suddenly become public: "since the news broke I've received thousands of wonderful letters" Similar eruptburst outbreak out
   • ▪ make bad news known to (someone): "he was trying to break the terrible news gently to his father" Similar revealdisclosedivulgelet outannouncetellimpartmake publicmake knownreleaseproclaim
   • 7. (chiefly of an attacking player or team, or of a military force) make a rush or dash in a particular direction: "Mitchell won possession and broke quickly, allowing Hughes to score"
   • ▪ (of a bowled cricket ball) change direction on bouncing, due to spin.
   • ▪ (of a ball) rebound unpredictably: "the ball broke to Craig but his shot rebounded from the post"

   noun

   • 1. an interruption of continuity or uniformity: "the magazine has been published without a break since 1950" Similar interruptionintervalgaphiatuslapse of timelacunadiscontinuationdiscontinuancediscontinuitysuspensiondisruptioncut-offstopstoppagecessationcaesuraarchaic:surcease
   • ▪ an act of separating oneself from a pre-existing state of affairs: "a break with the past"
   • ▪ a change in the weather: "a week or so may pass without a break in the weather" Similar changealterationvariation
   • ▪ a change of line, paragraph, or page: "dotted lines on the screen show page breaks"
   • ▪ a change of tone in a person's voice due to emotion: "there was a break in her voice now"
   • ▪ an interruption in an electric circuit.
   • ▪ the winning of a game against an opponent's serve.
   • 2. a pause in work or during an activity or event: "I need a break from mental activity" Similar restrespiteintervalbreathing spacelullrecessstoppausetea breakcoffee breakintermissioninterludeentr'acteinformal:breatherlet-uptime outdowntimesmoko
   • ▪ an interval during the school day: British "the bell went for break"
   • ▪ a short holiday: "a weekend break in the Cotswolds" Similar time offperiod of leaveholidayminibreakvacationinformal:staycationvacvacay
   • ▪ a short solo or instrumental passage in jazz or popular music.
   • ▪ dance music featuring breakbeats.
   • 3. a gap or opening: "the track bends left through a break in the hedge" Similar gapopeningspaceholebreachchinkcrackfissurecleftriftchasmtearsplitslitrentrupture
   • 4. an instance of breaking something, or the point where something is broken: "he was stretchered off with a break to the leg"
   • 5. a rush or dash in a particular direction, especially by an attacking player or team: "Norwich scored on a rare break with 11 minutes left"
   • ▪ an escape, typically from prison. informal
   • ▪ a change in the direction of a bowled ball on bouncing.
   • 6. an opportunity or chance, especially one leading to professional success: informal "he got his break as an entertainer on a TV music hall show" Similar opportunitystroke of luckchanceopeningfoot in the door
   • 7. a consecutive series of successful shots, scoring a specified number of points: "a break of 83 put him in front for the first time"
   • ▪ a player's turn to make the opening shot of a game: "whose break is it?"
   • 8. a bud or shoot sprouting from a stem.

   Word Origin Old Englishbrecan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch breken and German brechen, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin frangere ‘to break’.

   Scrabble Points: 11

   • B

     3

   • R

     1

   • E

     1

   • A

     1

   • K

     5

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   More definitions, origin and scrabble points

2. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishBREAK | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   BREAK definition: 1. to (cause something to) separate suddenly or violently into two or more pieces, or to (cause…. Learn more.

3. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishMeaning of break – Learner’s Dictionary - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

   • Cached

   to make a noise, speak, etc and end a period of silence: The silence was broken by a sudden knock at the door. break a habit/routine, etc. to stop doing something that you usually do. break a record. B2. to do something faster, better, etc than anyone else: He broke the world record for the 200m.

4. dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionaryBREAK | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary

   • Cached

   BREAK meaning: 1. to (cause something to) separate suddenly or violently into two or more pieces, or to (cause…. Learn more.

5. dictionary.cambridge.org › essential-american-english › breakBREAK definition | Cambridge Essential American Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › essential-american-english › break

   • Cached

   Mar 27, 2021 · BREAK meaning: 1. to separate into two or more pieces, or to make something separate into two or more pieces: 2…. Learn more.

6. dictionary.cambridge.org › essential-american-english › breakbreak | English meaning - Cambridge Essential American

   dictionary.cambridge.org › essential-american-english › break

   • Cached

   to stop an activity and have a short rest: Let’s break for five minutes. to not do something that you should do: I don’t like to break promises. to come to an end or make something come to an end: Eventually someone spoke, breaking the silence. break the law. to do something that the law says you must not do.

7. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishDESTROY | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   DESTROY definition: 1. to damage something so badly that it cannot be used: 2. to kill an animal because it is ill, in…. Learn more.

8. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishBREAKUP | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   BREAKUP definition: 1. the end of a relationship: 2. the division of something into smaller parts: . Learn more.

9. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishBREAK DOWN | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   BREAK DOWN definition: 1. If a machine or vehicle breaks down, it stops working: 2. If a system, relationship, or…. Learn more.

10. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishBREAK SOMETHING UP | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

    dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

    • Cached

    BREAK SOMETHING UP definition: 1. to divide into many pieces, or to divide something into many pieces: 2. If an occasion when…. Learn more.

11. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishBREAK SOMEONE IN | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

    dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

    • Cached

    BREAK SOMEONE IN definition: 1. If you break someone in, you train them to do a new job or activity: 2. to wear new shoes or…. Learn more.