Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act or instance of breaking something: Refers to the action or event of causing something to separate into pieces, often suddenly or violently.
   • Something that has been broken: Refers to the physical object or objects that have been damaged or fractured.
   • Loss or damage due to breaking: Refers to the state or amount of items that are broken, often considered as waste or a financial loss, especially in commerce or manufacturing.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The breakage of the window was caused by the storm. (The act of the window breaking happened because of the storm.)
  • Please report any breakage to the supervisor immediately. (Report any item that is broken to the supervisor right away.)
  • The factory has a high rate of breakage during shipping. (The factory experiences a significant amount of goods being damaged while they are being transported.)

Advanced Usage

• "Allowance for breakage": A financial term referring to an amount of money set aside or a percentage deducted to cover the expected loss from items being broken.
  • The contract includes a 2% allowance for breakage.
• "Inherent breakage": Refers to damage or fragility that is a natural characteristic of a material or product.
  • The inherent breakage of the ceramic makes it difficult to ship.

Variants and Related Words

• Break (verb/noun): To separate into pieces suddenly or violently; a pause or interruption.
• Broken (adjective): Having been fractured or damaged; no longer in one piece.

Synonyms

• Fracture: The cracking or breaking of a hard object or material.
• Damage: Physical harm impairing the value, usefulness, or normal function of something.
• Smash: To break something violently into many pieces.

Related Phrases

• Breakage costs: The expenses incurred due to items being broken.
  • The breakage costs this quarter were higher than expected.
• Risk of breakage: The likelihood or chance that something will break.
  • This product carries a high risk of breakage if not handled carefully.

Related Idioms

(Note: There are no common idioms that use the exact word "breakage" as a key component. Idioms typically use the root word "break," such as "break the ice" or "break a leg.")

Noun

1. the act of breaking something
   • the breakage was unavoidable
2. reimbursement for goods damaged while in transit or in use
3. the quantity broken
   • the total breakage was huge