Definition of break - WordReference.com Dictionary

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break:

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For the verb: "to break"

Simple Past:	broke
Past Participle:	broken

break
A	noun
	1	break, breakout, jailbreak, gaolbreak, prisonbreak, prison-breaking
			an escape from jail; "the breakout was carefully planned"
		Category Tree: act; human action; human activity ╚action ╚accomplishment; achievement ╚deed; feat; effort; exploit ╚running away ╚escape; flight ╚break, breakout, jailbreak, gaolbreak, prisonbreak, prison-breaking
	2	open frame, break
			any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare; "the break in the eighth frame cost him the match"
		Category Tree: act; human action; human activity ╚action ╚accomplishment; achievement ╚attainment ╚success ╚score ╚open frame, break
	3	break
			a sudden dash; "he made a break for the open door"
		Category Tree: act; human action; human activity ╚action ╚change ╚motion; movement; move ╚locomotion; travel ╚run; running ╚dash; sprint ╚break ╚fast break
	4	breakage, break, breaking
			the act of breaking something; "the breakage was unavoidable"
		Category Tree: act; human action; human activity ╚action ╚change ╚change of integrity ╚breakage, break, breaking ╚chip; chipping; splintering ╚fracture; crack; cracking ╚smashing; shattering ╚rupture
	5	break, interruption, disruption, gap
			an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity; "it was presented without commercial breaks"
		Category Tree: act; human action; human activity ╚inactivity ╚delay; holdup ╚break, interruption, disruption, gap ╚heckling; barracking ╚breaking off; abruption ╚interjection; interposition; interpolation; interpellation ╚cut-in; insert ╚cut-in; insert
	6	break, break of serve
			(tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving; "he was up two breaks in the second set"
		Category Tree: act; human action; human activity ╚action ╚accomplishment; achievement ╚attainment ╚success ╚score ╚break, break of serve
	7	break
			the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool
		Category Tree: act; human action; human activity ╚action ╚change ╚motion; movement; move ╚maneuver; manoeuvre; play ╚stroke; shot ╚break
	8	respite, recess, break, time out
			a pause from doing something (as work); "we took a 10-minute break"; "he took time out to recuperate"
		Category Tree: act; human action; human activity ╚inactivity ╚pause ╚respite, recess, break, time out ╚spring break
	9	rupture, breach, break, severance, rift, falling out
			a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions); "they hoped to avoid a break in relations"
		Category Tree: event ╚happening; occurrence; natural event ╚change; alteration; modification ╚separation; breakup; detachment ╚rupture, breach, break, severance, rift, falling out
	10	break, good luck, happy chance
			an unexpected piece of good luck; "he finally got his big break"
		Category Tree: event ╚happening; occurrence; natural event ╚accident; fortuity; chance event ╚break, good luck, happy chance
	11	break
			the occurrence of breaking; "the break in the dam threatened the valley"
		Category Tree: event ╚happening; occurrence; natural event ╚change; alteration; modification ╚separation; breakup; detachment ╚break ╚snap
	12	interruption, break
			some abrupt occurrence that interrupts; "the telephone is an annoying interruption"; "there was a break in the action when a player was hurt"
		Category Tree: event ╚happening; occurrence; natural event ╚interruption, break ╚eclipse; occultation ╚suspension; respite; reprieve; hiatus; abatement ╚punctuation ╚dislocation; disruption
	13	fault, geological fault, shift, fracture, break
			(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"
		Category Tree: abstraction ╚attribute ╚shape; form ╚amorphous shape ╚space ╚opening; gap ╚crack; cleft; crevice; fissure; scissure ╚fault, geological fault, shift, fracture, break ╚strike-slip fault ╚San Andreas Fault ╚inclined fault ╚Denali Fault
	14	fracture, break
			breaking of hard tissue such as bone; "it was a nasty fracture"; "the break seems to have been caused by a fall"
		Category Tree: state ╚condition; status ╚pathological state ╚ill health; unhealthiness; health problem ╚injury; hurt; harm; trauma ╚fracture, break ╚fatigue fracture; stress fracture ╚displaced fracture ╚depressed fracture ╚compression fracture ╚compound fracture; open fracture ╚complete fracture ╚comminuted fracture
	15	pause, intermission, break, interruption, suspension
			a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
		Category Tree: abstraction ╚measure; quantity; amount ╚time interval; interval ╚pause, intermission, break, interruption, suspension ╚letup; lull ╚time-out ╚respite; rest; relief; rest period ╚halftime ╚delay; hold; time lag; postponement; wait ╚dead air ╚caesura ╚blackout ╚lapse
B	verb
	1	break in, break
			make submissive, obedient, or useful; "The horse was tough to break"; "I broke in the new intern"
		Category Tree: change; alter; modify ╚domesticate; domesticize; domesticise; reclaim; tame ╚break in, break
	2	break
			be broken in; "If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress"
		Category Tree: change ╚break
	3	break
			render inoperable or ineffective; "You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!"
		Category Tree: change; alter; modify ╚damage ╚break
	4	break, separate, split up, fall apart, come apart
			become separated into pieces or fragments; "The figurine broke"; "The freshly baked loaf fell apart"
		Category Tree: change ╚change integrity ╚break, separate, split up, fall apart, come apart ╚crush ╚break up; fragment; fragmentize; fragmentise ╚snap; crack ╚ladder; run ╚smash ╚burst; bust ╚puncture ╚burst; split; break open
	5	break
			destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments; "He broke the glass plate"; "She broke the match"
		Category Tree: separate; divide ╚break ╚smash; dash ╚break in ╚fracture ╚shatter
	6	break, break off, discontinue, stop
			prevent completion; "stop the project"; "break off the negociations"
		Category Tree: change; alter; modify ╚end; terminate ╚break, break off, discontinue, stop ╚interrupt; disrupt; break up; cut off ╚bog down; bog ╚fracture
	7	interrupt, break
			terminate; "She interrupted her pregnancy"; "break a lucky streak"; "break the cycle of poverty"
		Category Tree: change; alter; modify ╚end; terminate ╚interrupt, break ╚freeze; suspend ╚cut short; break short; break off ╚hold on; stop
	8	dampen, damp, soften, weaken, break
			lessen in force or effect; "soften a shock"; "break a fall"
		Category Tree: change; alter; modify ╚deaden; blunt ╚dampen, damp, soften, weaken, break ╚dampen; deaden; damp ╚deafen
	9	fail, go bad, give way, die, give out, conk out, go, break, break down
			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"
		Category Tree: change ╚fail, go bad, give way, die, give out, conk out, go, break, break down ╚malfunction; misfunction ╚misfire ╚blow out; burn out; blow ╚crash; go down
	10	break
			come into being; "light broke over the horizon"; "Voices broke in the air"
		Category Tree: change ╚change state; turn ╚become; go; get ╚break
	11	disclose, let on, bring out, reveal, discover, expose, divulge, impart, break, give away, let out
			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 o
		Category Tree: act; move ╚interact ╚communicate; intercommunicate ╚inform ╚tell ╚disclose, let on, bring out, reveal, discover, expose, divulge, impart, break, give away, let out
	12	better, break
			surpass in excellence; "She bettered her own record"; "break a record"
		Category Tree: get the better of; overcome; defeat ╚beat; beat out; crush; shell; trounce; vanquish ╚surpass; outstrip; outmatch; outgo; exceed; outdo; surmount; outperform ╚better, break
	13	break, bust
			ruin completely; "He busted my radio!"
		Category Tree: destroy; ruin ╚break, bust ╚break down
	14	break, burst, erupt
			force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up; "break into tears"; "erupt in anger"
		Category Tree: express emotion; express feelings ╚break, burst, erupt
	15	break
			curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves; "The surf broke"
		Category Tree: change ╚collapse; fall in; cave in; give; give way; break; founder ╚break
	16	break
			scatter or part; "The clouds broke after the heavy downpour"
		Category Tree: move ╚separate; part; split ╚disperse; dissipate; scatter; spread out ╚break
	17	break
			make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing; "The ranks broke"
		Category Tree: leave; go forth; go away ╚run; scarper; turn tail; lam; run away; hightail it; bunk; head for the hills; take to the woods; escape; fly the coop; break away ╚flee; fly; take flight ╚break
	18	break, break out, break away
			move away or escape suddenly; "The horses broke from the stable"; "Three inmates broke jail"; "Nobody can break out--this prison is high security"
		Category Tree: leave; go forth; go away ╚run; scarper; turn tail; lam; run away; hightail it; bunk; head for the hills; take to the woods; escape; fly the coop; break away ╚flee; fly; take flight ╚escape; get away; break loose ╚break, break out, break away
	19	break, break away
			interrupt a continued activity; "She had broken with the traditional patterns"
		Category Tree: separate; part; split up; split; break; break up ╚break, break away
	20	transgress, offend, infract, violate, go against, breach, break
			act in disregard of laws and rules; "offend all laws of humanity"; "violate the basic laws or human civilization"; "break a law"
		Category Tree: act; move ╚interact ╚relate ╚disrespect ╚transgress, offend, infract, violate, go against, breach, break ╚trespass; intrude ╚trespass ╚conflict; run afoul; infringe; contravene ╚sin; blunder; boob; goof ╚sin; transgress; trespass
	21	break in, break
			enter someone's 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!"
		Category Tree: act; move ╚interact ╚relate ╚disrespect ╚transgress; offend; infract; violate; go against; breach; break ╚trespass; intrude ╚break in, break
	22	break
			happen or take place; "Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months"
		Category Tree: happen; hap; go on; pass off; occur; pass; fall out; come about; take place ╚break
	23	break
			come forth or begin from a state of latency; "The first winter storm broke over New York"
		Category Tree: become ╚originate; arise; rise; develop; uprise; spring up; grow ╚come forth; emerge ╚break
	24	violate, go against, break
			fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns; "This sentence violates the rules of syntax"

	25	break
			give up; "break cigarette smoking"
		Category Tree: discontinue; stop; cease; give up; quit; lay off ╚break
	26	break
			cause to give up a habit; "She finally broke herself of smoking cigarettes"

	27	break
			vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity; "The flat plain was broken by tall mesas"
		Category Tree: change; alter; vary ╚break
	28	break
			come to an end; "The heat wave finally broke yesterday"
		Category Tree: end; stop; finish; terminate; cease ╚break

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