break

I. verb (broke; broken; breaking) Etymology: Middle English breken, from Old English brecan; akin to Old High German brehhan to break, Latin frangere Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. a. to separate into parts with suddenness or violence b. fracture <

break an arm

> c. rupture <

break the skin

> d. to cut into and turn over the surface of <

break the soil

> e. to render inoperable <

broke his watch

> 2. a. violate, transgress <

break the law

> <

break a promise

> b. to invalidate (a will) by action at law 3. a. archaic to force entry into b. to burst and force a way through <

break the sound barrier

> <

break a racial barrier

> c. to escape by force from <

break jail

> d. to make or effect by cutting, forcing, or pressing through <

break a trail through the woods

> 4. to disrupt the order or compactness of <

break formation

> 5. to make ineffective as a binding force <

break the spell

> 6. a. to defeat utterly and end as an effective force ; destroy <

used starvation to break the enemy

> b. to crush the spirit of <

brutal methods broke the prisoner

> c. to make tractable or submissive: as (1) past participle often broke to train (an animal) to adjust to the service or convenience of humans <

a halter-broke horse

> (2) inure, accustom d. to exhaust in health, strength, or capacity <

broken by his struggle for power

> 7. a. to stop or bring to an end suddenly ; halt <

break a deadlock

> b. interrupt, suspend <

break the silence with a cry

> c. to open and bring about suspension of operation <

break an electric circuit

> d. to destroy unity or completeness of <

break a dining room set by buying a chair

> e. to change the appearance of uniformity of <

a dormer breaks the level roof

> f. to split the surface of <

fish breaking water

> g. to cause to discontinue a habit <

tried to break him of smoking

> 8. a. to make known ; tell <

break the bad news gently

> b. to bring to attention or prominence initially <

radio stations breaking new musicians

> <

break a news story

> 9. a. to ruin financially <

break the bank

> b. to reduce in rank <

broken from sergeant to private

> 10. a. to split into smaller units, parts, or processes ; divide b. (1) to give or get the equivalent of (a bill) in smaller denominations (2) to use as the denomination in paying a bill <

didn't want to break a $20 bill

> — often used with into, up, or down 11. a. to check the speed, force, or intensity of <

the bushes will break his fall

> <

without breaking her stride

> b. to cause failure and discontinuance of (a strike) by measures outside bargaining processes 12. to cause a sudden significant decrease in the price, value, or volume of <

news likely to break the market sharply

> 13. a. exceed, surpass <

break the record

> b. to score less than (a specified total) <

a golfer trying to break 90

> c. to win against (an opponent's service) in tennis d. to make (a run) in football by getting past defenders <

broke a 20-yard run

> 14. to open the action of (a breechloader) 15. a. to find an explanation or solution for ; solve <

the detective broke the case

> b. to discover the essentials of (a code or cipher system) 16. to demonstrate the falsity of <

break an alibi

> 17. to ruin the prospects of <

could make or break her career

> 18. to produce visibly <

barely breaks a sweat

> intransitive verb 1. a. to escape with sudden forceful effort <

the attacker broke from the throng

> b. to come into being by or as if by bursting forth <

day was breaking

> c. to effect a penetration <

break through security lines

> d. to emerge through the surface of the water e. to start abruptly <

when the storm broke

> f. to become known or published <

when the news broke

> g. to make a sudden dash <

break for cover

> h. to separate after a clinch in boxing i. to achieve initial success in usually a sudden or striking way <

her song broke nationally

> j. to begin a race <

the horse broke poorly

> 2. a. to come apart or split into pieces ; fragment, shatter <

the cup broke when it fell

> b. to open spontaneously or by pressure from within <

the blister broke

> c. of a wave to curl over and fall apart in surf or foam 3. to interrupt one's activity or occupation for a brief period <

break for lunch

> 4. to alter sharply in tone, pitch, or intensity <

a voice breaking with emotion

> 5. to become fair ; clear <

when the weather breaks

> 6. to make the opening shot of a game of pool 7. to end a relationship, connection, or agreement — usually used with with or from 8. to give way in disorderly retreat 9. a. to swerve suddenly b. to curve from a straight path <

a pitch that breaks away from the batter

> <

a putt that breaks left

> 10. a. to fail in health, strength, vitality, resolve, or control <

may break under questioning

> b. to become inoperative because of damage, wear, or strain <

the pump broke

> 11. to fail to keep a prescribed gait — used of a horse 12. to undergo a sudden significant decrease in price, value, or volume <

transportation stocks may break sharply

> 13. happen, develop <

for the team to succeed, everything has to break right

> 14. to win against an opponent's service in tennis 15. a. to divide into classes, categories, or types — usually used with into <

the rose is broken into several varieties

> b. to fold, bend, lift, or come apart at a seam, groove, or joint c. of cream to separate during churning into liquid and fat II. noun Date: 14th century 1. a. an act or action of breaking b. the opening shot in a game of pool or billiards 2. a. a condition produced by or as if by breaking ; gap <

a break in the clouds

> b. a gap in an otherwise continuous electric circuit 3. the action or act of breaking in, out, or forth <

at break of day

> <

a jail break

> 4. a place or situation at which a break occurs: as a. the place at which a word is divided especially at the end of a line of print or writing b. the point or location at which waves break for surfing 5. an interruption in continuity <

a break in the weather

>: as a. a notable change of subject matter, attitude, or treatment b. (1) an abrupt, significant, or noteworthy change or interruption in a continuous process, trend, or surface (2) a respite from work, school, or duty <

coffee break

> <

spring break

> (3) relief from annoyance — often used to express exasperation or irritation in phrases like give me a break (4) a planned interruption in a radio or television program <

a break for the commercial

> c. deviation of a pitched baseball from a straight line d. mining fault, dislocation e. failure of a horse to maintain the prescribed gait f. an abrupt change in musical or vocal pitch or quality g. the action or an instance of breaking service in tennis h. a usually solo instrumental passage in jazz, folk, or popular music 6. a. dash, rush <

a base runner making a break for home

> b. fast break 7. a sudden and abrupt decline of prices or values 8. a. the start of a race b. the act of separating after a clinch in boxing 9. a. a stroke of luck and especially of good luck <

a bad break

> <

got the breaks

> b. a favorable or opportune situation ; chance <

waiting for a big break in show business

> c. favorable consideration or treatment <

a tax break

> <

a break on the price

> 10. a. a rupture in previously agreeable relations <

a break between the two countries

> b. an abrupt split or difference with something previously adhered to or followed <

a sharp break with tradition

> 11. breakdown 1c <

suffered a mental break

>