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break

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verb

/breɪk/

present tense
I/you/we/they	break
he/she/it	breaks
present participle	breaking
past tense	broke
past participle	broken

Other entries for this word

Related dictionary definitions

more dictionary definitions

1
[transitive] to make something separate into two or more pieces, for example by hitting or dropping it
People were throwing stones and several windows were broken.
break something in half/two etc:
Break the spaghetti in half and put it into the boiling water.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
1. a.
  [intransitive] if something breaks, it becomes damaged and separates into pieces
  Shake the snow off the branches to prevent them from breaking.
  break into:
  The glass slipped from her hand and broke into a dozen pieces.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
2. b.
  [intransitive/transitive] if a bone in your body breaks, or if you break it, it cracks or separates into two pieces
  She broke her leg playing football.
  Older bones tend to break more easily.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
3. c.
  [intransitive/transitive] if a piece of equipment breaks, or if you break it, it stops working correctly because a part of it is damaged
  We used to have a toaster, but it broke.
  Don't play with the camera – you'll break it.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
2
[transitive] to fail to obey a rule or law
If you break the speed limit, the penalties are severe.
break the law:
I don't care what your reasons are. The fact is you're breaking the law.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
1. a.
  to not do something that you promised or agreed to do
  They have started drilling for oil in the region, breaking an agreement made five years ago.
  Elliot claims that his business partner broke her contract.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
3
[transitive] to make a hole or cut in the surface of something
The dog bit his leg, but fortunately didn't break the skin.
Every so often a fish broke the still surface of the lake.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
4
[transitive] to destroy someone's confidence, determination, or happiness
a campaign of violence and intimidation, that eventually broke the opposition's will
break someone's spirit:
Twenty years in prison had not broken his spirit.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
1. a.
  [intransitive] to lose your determination or confidence, especially when someone is deliberately trying to make this happen
  She didn't break, even under hours of intense interrogation.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
5
[intransitive] if important news breaks, it becomes publicly known
He was back in France when the news broke.
For some days after the scandal broke, the press could find out nothing about him.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
1. a.
  [transitive] to publish or broadcast a news story for the first time
  The Daily Mirror broke the story on Christmas Eve.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
2. b.
  [transitive] to tell someone bad news in a kind way
  I didn't know how to break it to her.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
6
[intransitive] to stop what you are doing for a short period of time
Why don't we break now and meet again tomorrow?
break for:
OK, let's break for lunch.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
7
[transitive] to stop a bad situation from continuing
Everyone must work together to break the cycle of violence.
Their goal was to break the monopoly of the state telecoms corporation.
break a deadlock (=end a situation in which no progress is being made):
The meeting went on late into the night in an attempt to break the deadlock.
break someone's hold/grip on something:
They are determined to break the army's hold on power.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
1. a.
  to end your connection or relationship with someone
  The party is looking to break its ties with the far right.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
2. b.
  to end a quiet or calm period, for example by talking or making a noise
  Hardly a sound broke the sleepy summer silence.
  The peaceful mood was broken by the blare of a police siren.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
3. c.
  to end a long period in which you have refused to talk about something
  Breaking a ten-year silence, he has talked for the first time about his wife's suicide.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
8
[intransitive] when day breaks, it starts to get light in the morning
The day broke grey and dull.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
9
[intransitive] if a storm breaks, it starts
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
1. a.
  if the weather breaks, it changes unexpectedly, and usually becomes worse
  The long hot spell finally broke.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
10
[intransitive] if a boy's voice breaks, it becomes deeper and he starts to sound like a man
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
1. a.
  if someone's voice breaks, they become unable to speak clearly, usually because they are upset
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
11
[intransitive] if waves break, they reach their highest point and start to fall
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
12
[transitive] if someone breaks a code (=a secret way of writing), they learn how to understand it
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
13
[intransitive] mainly literary if someone's fever breaks, it starts to become less severe
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break

phrases

break your back
to work extremely hard to get something done
He's been breaking his back getting the house ready for their visit.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break the back of something
British
to finish the main part or the hardest part of a piece of work
I think we've broken the back of the job now.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break the bank
to win more at gambling than the casino can pay you
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break cover
to suddenly appear from where you have been hiding
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break even
if a person or business breaks even, they neither make a profit nor lose money
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break someone's fall
to stop someone who is falling from hitting the ground directly, so that they hurt themselves less than they would have done
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break free
or break loose
1. 1
  to escape from someone who is trying to hold you
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
2. 2
  to escape from an unpleasant person or situation that controls your life
  She'll never be happy until she breaks free of her family.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break a habit
to stop doing something that is a habit, especially something bad or harmful
Interrupting others is annoying, so try to break the habit.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break someone's heart
1. 1
  to upset someone very much, especially by letting them know that you do not love them. You can also say that someone's heart breaks or that they have a broken heart
  Friends and relatives said she died of a broken heart.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
2. 2
  it breaks someone's heart
  spoken used for saying that something upsets someone very much
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break the ice
to do or say something that makes people feel less shy or nervous in a social situation
He told a few jokes to break the ice.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break your journey
British
to stop somewhere for a short time during a journey
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break a leg
spoken
used for wishing someone good luck
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break the mould
to change a situation completely, or to do something in a completely new way
shows that have broken the mould of TV comedy
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break someone's neck
spoken
if someone says they will break your neck, they are threatening to hurt you very badly because they are angry with you
If you come near this place again, I'll break your neck.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break new ground
to do something completely different from what has been done before
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break ranks
1. 1
  if a member of a group breaks ranks, they disagree publicly with the rest of the group
  Toricelli angered fellow Democrats by breaking ranks with the leadership.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
2. 2
  if soldiers or police officers break ranks, they stop standing in lines and move away
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break a record
to do something that is better, faster etc than anything that has been done before
The painting has broken all records, selling for over £20 million.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break someone's serve/service
in tennis, to win a game in which your opponent is serving
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break the spell
mainly literary
to spoil or end something very special
They gazed at one another, until Rita came in and broke the spell.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break a strike
1. 1
  to end a situation in which workers have been on strike
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
2. 2
  to start working again when you have been on strike
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break
break wind
to allow gas to come out of your bottom
something won't break the bank
informal
used for saying that something does not cost very much money
One night out won't break the bank.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of break

phrasal verbs

caxirola

a percussion instrument used by football fans which makes a rattling sound when shaken

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to learn small pieces of information by asking questions or watching or listening carefully

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pierce the corporate veil

… the decision to treat the rights and duties of a company as being the same as the rights and duties of its shareholders

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break

What are red words?

Thesaurus

Related dictionary definitions

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phrases

break your back

break the back of something

break the bank

break cover

break even

break someone's fall

break free

or break loose

break a habit

break someone's heart

it breaks someone's heart

break the ice

break your journey

break a leg

break the mould

break someone's neck

break new ground

break ranks

break a record

break someone's serve/service

break the spell

break a strike

break wind

something won't break the bank

phrasal verbs

caxirola

Word of the Day

glean

pierce the corporate veil