break
nouns
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"
(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"
a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)
"they hoped to avoid a break in relations"
a pause from doing something (as work)
"we took a 10-minute break"; "he took time out to recuperate"
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
breaking of hard tissue such as bone
"it was a nasty fracture"; "the break seems to have been caused by a fall"
the occurrence of breaking
"the break in the dam threatened the valley"
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"
is a type of (narrower)
an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
"the change was intended to increase sales"; "this storm is certainly a change for the worse"; "the neighborhood had undergone few modifications since his last visit years ago"
the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool
is a part of
any of several games played on rectangular cloth-covered table (with cushioned edges) in which long tapering cue sticks are used to propel ivory (or composition) balls
(tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving
"he was up two breaks in the second set"
an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
"it was presented without commercial breaks"; "there was a gap in his account"
a sudden dash
"he made a break for the open door"
any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare
"the break in the eighth frame cost him the match"
an escape from jail
"the breakout was carefully planned"
verbs
terminate
"She interrupted her pregnancy"; "break a lucky streak"; "break the cycle of poverty"
become separated into pieces or fragments
"The figurine broke"; "The freshly baked loaf fell apart"
render inoperable or ineffective
"You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!"
is derived from
verb group
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"
is a type of (narrower)
inflict damage upon
"The snow damaged the roof"; "She damaged the car when she hit the tree"
ruin completely
"He busted my radio!"
is derived from
is derived from
antonym
see also
see also
see also
see also
see also
destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments
"He broke the glass plate"; "She broke the match"
verb group
become separated into pieces or fragments
"The figurine broke"; "The freshly baked loaf fell apart"
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"
antonym
move away or escape suddenly
"The horses broke from the stable"; "Three inmates broke jail"; "Nobody can break out--this prison is high security"
scatter or part
"The clouds broke after the heavy downpour"
is a type of (narrower)
move away from each other
"The crowds dispersed"; "The children scattered in all directions when the teacher approached";
force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up
"break into tears"; "erupt in anger"
prevent completion
"stop the project"; "break off the negotiations"
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?"
make submissive, obedient, or useful
"The horse was tough to break"; "I broke in the new intern"
fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns
"This sentence violates the rules of syntax"
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"
come into being
"light broke over the horizon"; "Voices broke in the air"
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"
is derived from
make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing
"The ranks broke"
verb group
move away or escape suddenly
"The horses broke from the stable"; "Three inmates broke jail"; "Nobody can break out--this prison is high security"
domain category
the military forces of a nation
"their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"
curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves
"The surf broke"
is derived from
be broken in
"If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress"
verb group
make submissive, obedient, or useful
"The horse was tough to break"; "I broke in the new intern"
is a type of (narrower)
undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
"She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night"
come to an end
"The heat wave finally broke yesterday"
is a type of (narrower)
have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical
"the bronchioles terminate in a capillary bed"; "Your rights stop where you infringe upon the rights of other"; "My property ends by the bushes"; "The symphony ends in a pianissimo"
vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity
"The flat plain was broken by tall mesas"
cause to give up a habit
"She finally broke herself of smoking cigarettes"
give up
"break cigarette smoking"
come forth or begin from a state of latency
"The first winter storm broke over New York"
happen or take place
"Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months"
domain usage
a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech
is a type of (narrower)
come to pass
"What is happening?"; "The meeting took place off without an incidence"; "Nothing occurred that seemed important"
cause the failure or ruin of
"His peccadilloes finally broke his marriage"; "This play will either make or break the playwright"
antonym
is a type of (narrower)
destroy or cause to fail
"This behavior will ruin your chances of winning the election"
invalidate by judicial action
"The will was broken"
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"
assign to a lower position; reduce in rank
"She was demoted because she always speaks up"; "He was broken down to Sergeant"
reduce to bankruptcy
"My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!"; "The slump in the financial markets smashed him"
change directions suddenly
emerge from the surface of a body of water
"The whales broke"
is a type of (narrower)
come into sight or view
"He suddenly appeared at the wedding"; "A new star appeared on the horizon"
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"
exchange for smaller units of money
"I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy"
verb group
destroy the completeness of a set of related items
"The book dealer would not break the set"
destroy the completeness of a set of related items
"The book dealer would not break the set"
is derived from
make the opening shot that scatters the balls
domain category
any of several games played on rectangular cloth-covered table (with cushioned edges) in which long tapering cue sticks are used to propel ivory (or composition) balls
is a type of (narrower)
throw or propel in a specific direction or towards a specific objective
"shoot craps"; "shoot a golf ball"
separate from a clinch, in boxing
"The referee broke the boxers"
go to pieces
"The lawn mower finally broke"; "The gears wore out"; "The old chair finally fell apart completely"
is derived from
see also
see also
see also
see also
break a piece from a whole
"break a branch from a tree"
become punctured or penetrated
"The skin broke"
pierce or penetrate
"The blade broke her skin"
is a type of (narrower)
pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance
"The bullet penetrated her chest"
be released or become known; of news
"News of her death broke in the morning"
cease an action temporarily
"We pause for station identification"; "let's break for lunch"
interrupt the flow of current in
"break a circuit"
is derived from
undergo breaking
"The simple vowels broke in many Germanic languages"
is a type of (narrower)
change from a simple vowel to a diphthong
"This vowel diphthongized in Germanic"
find a flaw in
"break an alibi"; "break down a proof"
find the solution or key to
"break the code"
is a type of (narrower)
find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of
"did you solve the problem?"; "Work out your problems with the boss"; "this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out"; "did you get it?"; "Did you get my meaning?"; "He could not work the math problem"
change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another
"Her voice broke to a whisper when she started to talk about her children"
happen
"Report the news as it develops"; "These political movements recrudesce from time to time"
see also
see also
become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
"The glass cracked when it was heated"
is derived from
crack; of the male voice in puberty
"his voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir"
is a type of (narrower)
undergo a transformation or a change of position or action
"We turned from Socialism to Capitalism"; "The people turned against the President when he stole the election"
fall sharply
"stock prices broke"
diminish or discontinue abruptly
"The patient's fever broke last night"
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