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break

break

break - Dictionary definition and meaning for word break

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

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