break

A2
Pronunciation
/bɹeɪk/
Noun
21 definition(s)
1 Definition

An instance of breaking something into two or more pieces.

Example Sentences
  • The femur has a clean break and so should heal easily.
2 Definition

A physical space that opens up in something or between two things.

Example Sentences
  • He waited minutes for a break in the traffic to cross the highway.
3 Definition

A rest or pause, usually from work.

Example Sentences
  • Let’s take a five-minute break.
4 Definition

A time for students to talk or play.

5 Definition

A short holiday.

Example Sentences
  • a weekend break on the Isle of Wight
6 Definition

A temporary split with a romantic partner.

Example Sentences
  • I think we need a break.
7 Definition

An interval or intermission between two parts of a performance, for example a theatre show, broadcast, or sports game.

8 Definition

A significant change in circumstance, attitude, perception, or focus of attention.

Example Sentences
  • big break
9 Definition

The beginning (of the morning).

Example Sentences
  • at the break of day
10 Definition

An act of escaping.

Example Sentences
  • It was a clean break.
11 Definition

The separation between lines, paragraphs or pages of a written text.

12 Definition

A keystroke or other signal that causes a program to terminate or suspend execution.

13 Definition

A point or condition in a program at which operation may be suspended during debugging so that the state of the program at that point can be investigated. A breakpoint.

14 Definition

A change, particularly the end of a spell of persistent good or bad weather.

15 Definition

:

16 Definition

A large four-wheeled carriage, having a straight body and calash top, with the driver's seat in front and the footman's behind.

17 Definition

(equitation) A sharp bit or snaffle.

18 Definition

A short section of music, often between verses, in which some performers stop while others continue.

Example Sentences
  • The fiddle break was amazing; it was a pity the singer came back in on the wrong note.
19 Definition

The point in the musical scale at which a woodwind instrument is designed to overblow, that is, to move from its lower to its upper register.

Example Sentences
  • Crossing the break smoothly is one of the first lessons the young clarinettist needs to master.
20 Definition

Usu. plural An area along a river that features steep banks, bluffs, or gorges (e.g., Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, US).

21 Definition

A section of extended repetition of the percussion break to a song, created by a hip-hop DJ as rhythmic dance music.

Verb
40 definition(s)
1 Definition

To separate into two or more pieces, to fracture or crack, by a process that cannot easily be reversed for reassembly.

Example Sentences
  • If the vase falls to the floor, it might break.
2 Definition

To divide (something, often money) into smaller units.

Example Sentences
  • Can you break a hundred-dollar bill for me?
3 Definition

To cause (a person or animal) to lose spirit or will; to crush the spirits of.

Example Sentences
  • Her child's death broke Angela.
4 Definition

To be crushed, or overwhelmed with sorrow or grief.

Example Sentences
  • My heart is breaking.
5 Definition

To interrupt; to destroy the continuity of; to dissolve or terminate.

Example Sentences
  • I had won four games in a row, but now you've broken my streak of luck.
6 Definition

To ruin financially.

Example Sentences
  • The recession broke some small businesses.
7 Definition

To violate, to not adhere to.

Example Sentences
  • He broke his vows by cheating on his wife.
8 Definition

(of a fever) To pass the most dangerous part of the illness; to go down, in terms of temperature.

Example Sentences
  • Susan's fever broke at about 3 AM, and the doctor said the worst was over.
9 Definition

(of a spell of settled weather) To end.

Example Sentences
  • The forecast says the hot weather will break by midweek.
10 Definition

(of a storm) To begin; to end.

Example Sentences
  • Around midday the storm broke, and the afternoon was calm and sunny.
11 Definition

(of morning, dawn, day etc.) To arrive.

Example Sentences
  • Morning has broken.
12 Definition

To render (a game) unchallenging by altering its rules or exploiting loopholes or weaknesses in them in a way that gives a player an unfair advantage.

Example Sentences
  • Changing the rules to let white have three extra queens would break chess.
13 Definition

To stop, or to cause to stop, functioning properly or altogether.

Example Sentences
  • Did you two break the trolley by racing with it?
14 Definition

To cause (a barrier) to no longer bar.

Example Sentences
  • break a seal
15 Definition

To destroy the arrangement of; to throw into disorder; to pierce.

Example Sentences
  • The cavalry were not able to break the British squares.
16 Definition

(of a wave of water) To collapse into surf, after arriving in shallow water.

17 Definition

To burst forth; to make its way; to come into view.

18 Definition

To interrupt or cease one's work or occupation temporarily.

Example Sentences
  • Let's break for lunch.
19 Definition

To interrupt (a fall) by inserting something so that the falling object does not (immediately) hit something else beneath.

Example Sentences
  • He survived the jump out the window because the bushes below broke his fall.
20 Definition

To disclose or make known an item of news, etc.

Example Sentences
  • I don't know how to break this to you, but your cat is not coming back.
21 Definition

(of a sound) To become audible suddenly.

22 Definition

To change a steady state abruptly.

Example Sentences
  • His coughing broke the silence.
23 Definition

To suddenly become.

Example Sentences
  • The arrest was standard, when suddenly the suspect broke ugly.
24 Definition

Of a male voice, to become deeper at puberty.

25 Definition

Of a voice, to alter in type due to emotion or strain: in men generally to go up, in women sometimes to go down; to crack.

Example Sentences
  • His voice breaks when he gets emotional.
26 Definition

To surpass or do better than (a specific number), to do better than (a record), setting a new record.

Example Sentences
  • He broke the men's 100-meter record.
27 Definition

:

28 Definition

(most often in the passive tense) To demote, to reduce the military rank of.

29 Definition

To end (a connection), to disconnect.

Example Sentences
  • I couldn't hear a thing he was saying, so I broke the connection and called him back.
30 Definition

(of an emulsion) To demulsify.

31 Definition

To counter-attack

32 Definition

To lay open, as a purpose; to disclose, divulge, or communicate.

33 Definition

To become weakened in constitution or faculties; to lose health or strength.

34 Definition

To fail in business; to become bankrupt.

35 Definition

To destroy the strength, firmness, or consistency of.

Example Sentences
  • to break flax
36 Definition

To destroy the official character and standing of; to cashier; to dismiss.

37 Definition

To make an abrupt or sudden change; to change the gait.

Example Sentences
  • to break into a run or gallop
38 Definition

To fall out; to terminate friendship.

39 Definition

To terminate the execution of a program before normal completion.

40 Definition

To suspend the execution of a program during debugging so that the state of the program can be investigated.