Definition

Noun: 1. A person who illegally breaks into a building, especially a house, to commit a crime, typically theft. This is the most common meaning, referring to a burglar who gains unlawful entry. 2. ​A person whose job is to demolish old buildings. This is a dated or specialized meaning, synonymous with "housewrecker."

Usage

• The term is a compound noun formed from "house" + "breaker." It is used to specify the type of criminal or worker based on their target (a house) and their action (breaking in or breaking down).
• It is a formal or legal term for a burglar, particularly one who forces entry.

Examples

• Noun (Burglar):
  • The police arrested the housebreaker as he was trying to escape through a window.
  • Security systems are designed to deter housebreakers.
• Noun (Demolition worker):
  • The old factory was taken down by a team of housebreakers. (This usage is now less common.)

Advanced Usage

• The act committed by a housebreaker (in the criminal sense) is "housebreaking." This is the legal term for the crime of breaking and entering a dwelling with intent to commit a felony.
  • He was charged with housebreaking and theft.

Variants and Related Words

• Housebreaking (n): The criminal act of illegally entering a house or other building.
• Break-in (n): A more general term for an instance of illegal forced entry.
• Burglar (n): A more common general synonym for a person who commits burglary.
• Housewrecker (n): A direct synonym for the demolition meaning.

Synonyms

• Burglar: A person who commits burglary.
• Intruder: A person who enters a place without permission.
• Cat burglar: A burglar who enters by climbing to upper stories.

Antonyms

• Guard
• Protector
• Homeowner

Notes on Meaning

The primary and modern meaning is the criminal one. The demolition meaning is secondary and can be considered archaic in general use, with "demolition worker" or "wrecker" being preferred. The context usually makes the intended meaning clear.

Noun

1. a wrecker of houses
   • in England a housewrecker is called a housebreaker
2. a burglar who unlawfully breaks into and enters another person's house