- break ranks
- also break rank phrasal to differ in opinion or action from one's peers — often used with with
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
break ranks
Look at other dictionaries:
break ranks — to do or say something different from what a group you belong to does or says. Two owners broke ranks and said they were against locking out the players. Usage notes: often followed by with: They decided to break ranks with the alliance and work… … New idioms dictionary
break ranks — 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. 2) if soldiers or police officers break ranks, they stop standing in lines and… … English dictionary
break ranks — ► break rank (or ranks) 1) (of soldiers or police officers) fail to remain in line. 2) fail to maintain solidarity. Main Entry: ↑rank … English terms dictionary
break ranks — verb a) To march or charge out of the designated order in a military unit. b) To publicly disagree with ones own group or organization … Wiktionary
break ranks — v. fall into disorder (formation of soldiers); disagree in opinion or action from a person s peers; fail to comply to an expected or predominant pattern … English contemporary dictionary
break ranks — idi cvb a) to leave an assigned position in a military formation b) to withdraw support from one s colleagues, political party, or the like … From formal English to slang
break ranks — … Useful english dictionary
break rank — ● rank * * * break rank (or ranks) (of soldiers or police officers) fail to remain in line ■ figurative fail to maintain solidarity the government is prepared to break ranks with the Allied states * * * break rank see ↑rank, 1 … Useful english dictionary
break — break1 [ breık ] (past tense broke [ brouk ] ; past participle broken [ broukən ] ) verb *** ▸ 1 separate into pieces ▸ 2 fail to obey rules ▸ 3 make a hole/cut ▸ 4 destroy someone s confidence ▸ 5 when people learn news ▸ 6 stop for a short time … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
break — 1 /breIk/ verb past tense broke, past participle broken 1 IN PIECES a) (T) to make something separate into two or more pieces, for example by hitting it, dropping it, or bending it: The thieves got in by breaking a window. | break sth in two/in… … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
