break

Noun

• an escape from jail
  • the breakout was carefully planned
    

• any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare
  • the break in the eighth frame cost him the match
    

• a sudden dash
  • he made a break for the open door
    

• an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
  • it was presented without commercial breaks
    
  • there was a gap in his account
    

• (tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving
  • he was up two breaks in the second set
    

• the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool

• 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
    

• the occurrence of breaking
  • the break in the dam threatened the valley
    

• breaking of hard tissue such as bone
  • it was a nasty fracture
    
  • the break seems to have been caused by a fall
    

• a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something

• the act of breaking something
  • the breakage was unavoidable
    

• a pause from doing something (as work)
  • we took a 10-minute break
    
  • he took time out to recuperate
    

• a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)
  • they hoped to avoid a break in relations
    

• (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
    

• an unexpected piece of good luck
  • he finally got his big break
    

• 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
    

Verb

• weaken or destroy in spirit or body
  • His resistance was broken
    
  • a man broken by the terrible experience of near-death
    

• diminish or discontinue abruptly
  • The patient's fever broke last night
    

• fracture a bone of
  • I broke my foot while playing hockey
    

• fall sharply
  • stock prices broke
    

• crack; of the male voice in puberty
  • his voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir
    

• become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
  • The glass cracked when it was heated
    

• happen
  • Report the news as it develops
    
  • These political movements recrudesce from time to time
    

• change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another
  • Her voice broke to a whisper when she started to talk about her children
    

• find the solution or key to
  • break the code
    

• find a flaw in
  • break an alibi
    
  • break down a proof
    

• undergo breaking
  • The simple vowels broke in many Germanic languages
    

• interrupt the flow of current in
  • break a circuit
    

• cease an action temporarily
  • We pause for station identification
    
  • let's break for lunch
    

• be released or become known; of news
  • News of her death broke in the morning
    

• pierce or penetrate
  • The blade broke her skin
    

• become punctured or penetrated
  • The skin broke
    

• break a piece from a whole
  • break a branch from a tree
    

• go to pieces
  • The lawn mower finally broke
    
  • The gears wore out
    
  • The old chair finally fell apart completely
    

• separate from a clinch, in boxing
  • The referee broke the boxers
    

• make the opening shot that scatters the balls

• destroy the completeness of a set of related items
  • The book dealer would not break the set
    

• exchange for smaller units of money
  • I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy
    

• do a break dance
  • Kids were break-dancing at the street corner
    

• 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
    

• emerge from the surface of a body of water
  • The whales broke
    

• change directions suddenly

• reduce to bankruptcy
  • My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!
    
  • The slump in the financial markets smashed him
    

• assign to a lower position; reduce in rank
  • She was demoted because she always speaks up
    
  • He was broken down to Sergeant
    

• 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
    

• invalidate by judicial action
  • The will was broken
    

• cause the failure or ruin of
  • His peccadilloes finally broke his marriage
    
  • This play will either make or break the playwright
    

• happen or take place
  • Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months
    

• come forth or begin from a state of latency
  • The first winter storm broke over New York
    

• give up
  • break cigarette smoking
    

• cause to give up a habit
  • She finally broke herself of smoking cigarettes
    

• vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity
  • The flat plain was broken by tall mesas
    

• come to an end
  • The heat wave finally broke yesterday
    

• be broken in
  • If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress
    

• lessen in force or effect
  • soften a shock
    
  • break a fall
    

• curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves
  • The surf broke
    

• make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing
  • The ranks broke
    

• interrupt a continued activity
  • She had broken with the traditional patterns
    

• 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
    

• come into being
  • light broke over the horizon
    
  • Voices broke in the air
    

• 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
    

• surpass in excellence
  • She bettered her own record
    
  • break a record
    

• fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns
  • This sentence violates the rules of syntax
    

• make submissive, obedient, or useful
  • The horse was tough to break
    
  • I broke in the new intern
    

• 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?
    

• prevent completion
  • stop the project
    
  • break off the negotiations
    

• force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up
  • break into tears
    
  • erupt in anger
    

• scatter or part
  • The clouds broke after the heavy downpour
    

• move away or escape suddenly
  • The horses broke from the stable
    
  • Three inmates broke jail
    
  • Nobody can break out--this prison is high security
    

• 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
    

• destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments
  • He broke the glass plate
    
  • She broke the match
    

• ruin completely
  • He busted my radio!
    

• render inoperable or ineffective
  • You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!
    

• become separated into pieces or fragments
  • The figurine broke
    
  • The freshly baked loaf fell apart
    

• terminate
  • She interrupted her pregnancy
    
  • break a lucky streak
    
  • break the cycle of poverty
    

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  breakout , jailbreak , gaolbreak , prisonbreak , prison-breaking , open frame , interruption , disruption , gap , break of serve , fracture , pause , intermission , suspension , breakage , breaking , respite , recess , time out , rupture , breach , severance , rift , falling out , fault , faulting , geolog
• Antonyms: 
  promote , upgrade , advance , kick upstairs , raise , elevate , make , conform to , observe , keep , repair , mend , fix , bushel , doctor , furbish up , restore , touch on