Break BREAK, v.t. pret. broke, [brake.obs.] pp. broke or broken.
[L. frango, fregi, n casual; Heb.to break, to free or deliver, to separate.]
1. To part or divide by force and violence, as a solid substance; to rend apart; as, to break a band; to break a thread or a cable.
2. To burst or open by force.
The fountains of the earth were broke open.
3. To divide by piercing or penetrating; to burst forth; as, the light breaks through the clouds.
4. To make breaches or gaps by battering, as in a wall.
5. To destroy, crush, weaken, or impair, as the human body or constitution.
6. To sink; to appall or subdue; as, to break the spirits, or the passions.
7. To crush; to shatter; to dissipate the strength of, as of an army.
8. To weaken, or impair, as the faculties.
9. To tame; to train to obedience; to make tractable; as, to break a horse.
10. To make bankrupt.
11. To discard, dismiss or cashier; as, to break an officer.
12. To crack, to part or divide, as the skin; to open, as an aposteme.
13. To violate, as a contract or promise, either by a positive act contrary to the promise, or by neglect or non-fulfillment.
14. To infringe or violate, as a law, or any moral obligation, either by a positive act or by an omission of what is required.
15. To stop; to interrupt; to cause to cease; as, to break conversation; to break sleep.
16. To intercept; to check; to lessen the force of; as, to break a fall, or a blow.
17. To separate; to part; as, to break company of friendship.
18. To dissolve any union; sometimes with off; as, to break off a connection.
19. To cause to abandon; to reform or cause to reform; as, to break one of ill habits or practices.
20. To open as a purpose; to propound something new; to make a first disclosure of opinions; as, to break one's mind.
21. To frustrate; to prevent.
If plagues or earthquakes break not heaven's design.
22. To take away; as, to break the whole staff of bread. Psa 105.
23. To stretch; to strain; to rack; as, to break one on the wheel.
To break the back, to strain or dislocate the vertebers with too heavy a burden; also, to disable one's fortune.
To break bulk, to begin to unload.
To break a deer, to cut it up at table.
To breakfast, to eat the first meal in the day, but used as a compound word.
To break ground, to plow.
To break ground, to dig; to open trenches.
To break the heart, to afflict grievously; to cause great sorrow or grief; to depress with sorrow or despair.
To break a jest, to utter a jest unexpected.
To break the neck, to dislocate the joints of the neck.
To break off, to put a sudden stop to; to interrupt; to discontinue.
Break off thy sins by righteousness. Dan 4.
1. To sever; to divide; as, to break off a twig.
To break sheer, in marine language. When a ship at anchor is in a position to keep clear of the anchor, but is forced by wind or current out of that position,she breaks her sheer.
To break up, to dissolve or put an end to; as, to break up house-keeping.
1. To open or lay open; as, to break up a bed of earth.
2. To plow ground the first time, or after lying long unplowed; a common use in the U. States.
3. To separate; as, to break up a company.
4. To disband; as, to break up an army.
To break upon the wheel, to stretch and break the bones by torture upon the wheel.
To break wind, to give vent to wind from the body backward.
BREAK, v.i. To part; to separate;to divide in two; as, the ice breaks; a band breaks.
1. To burst; as, a storm or deluge breaks.
2. To burst, by dashing against something; as, a wave breaks upon a rock.
3. To open, as a tumor or aposteme.
4. To open, as the morning; to show the first light; to dawn.
5. To burst forth; to utter or exclaim.
6. To fail in trade or other occupation; to become bankrupt.
7. To decline in health and strength; to begin to lose the natural vigor.
8. To issue out with vehemence.
9. To make way with violence or suddenness; to rush; often with a particle; as, to break in; to break in upon, as calamities; to break over, as a flood; to break out, as a fire; to break forth, as light or a sound.
10. To come to an explanation.
I am to break with thee upon some affairs. [I believe, antiquated.]
11. To suffer an interruption of friendship; to fall out.
Be not afraid to break with traitors.
12. To faint, flag or pant.
My soul breaketh for longing to thy judgments. Psa 119.
To break away, to disengage itself from; to rush from; also, to dissolve itself or dissipate, as fog or clouds.
To break forth, to issue out.
To break from, to disengage from; to depart abruptly, or with vehemence.
To break in, to enter by force; to enter unexpectedly; to intrude.
To break loose, to get free by force; to escape from confinement by violence; to shake off restraint.
To break off, to part; to divide; also, to desist suddenly.
To break off from, to part from with violence.
To break out, to issue forth; to discover itself by its effects, to arise or spring up; as, a fire breaks out; a sedition breaks out; a fever breaks out.
1. To appear in eruptions, as pustules; to have pustules, or an efflorescence on the skin, as a child breaks out. Hence we have freckle from the root of break.
2. To throw off restraint, and become dissolute.
To break up, to dissolve itself and separate; as a company breaks up; a meeting breaks up; a fog breaks up; but more generally we say, fog, mist or clouds break away.
To break with, to part in enmity; to cease to be friends; as, to break with a friend or companion.
This verb carries with it its primitive sense of straining, parting, severing, bursting, often with violence, with the consequential senses of injury, defect and infirmity.
BREAK, n. A state of being open, or the act of separating; an opening made by force; an open place. It is the same word as brack, differently written and pronounced.
1. A pause; an interruption.
2. A line in writing or printing, noting a suspension of the sense, or a stop in the sentence.
3. In a ship, the break of the deck is the part where it terminates, and the descent on to the next deck below commences.
4. The first appearance of light in the morning; the dawn; as the break of day.

break n 1: 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" [syn: interruption, break] 2: an unexpected piece of good luck; "he finally got his big break" [syn: break, good luck, happy chance] 3: (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" [syn: fault, faulting, geological fault, shift, fracture, break] 4: a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions); "they hoped to avoid a break in relations" [syn: rupture, breach, break, severance, rift, falling out}] 5: a pause from doing something (as work); "we took a 10-minute break"; "he took time out to recuperate" [syn: respite, recess, break, time out] 6: the act of breaking something; "the breakage was unavoidable" [syn: breakage, break, breaking] 7: a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something [syn: pause, intermission, break, interruption, suspension] 8: breaking of hard tissue such as bone; "it was a nasty fracture"; "the break seems to have been caused by a fall" [syn: fracture, break] 9: the occurrence of breaking; "the break in the dam threatened the valley" 10: 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" 11: the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool 12: (tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving; "he was up two breaks in the second set" [syn: break, break of serve] 13: an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity; "it was presented without commercial breaks"; "there was a gap in his account" [syn: break, interruption, disruption, gap] 14: a sudden dash; "he made a break for the open door" 15: any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare; "the break in the eighth frame cost him the match" [syn: open frame, break] 16: an escape from jail; "the breakout was carefully planned" [syn: break, breakout, jailbreak, gaolbreak, prisonbreak, prison-breaking] v 1: terminate; "She interrupted her pregnancy"; "break a lucky streak"; "break the cycle of poverty" [syn: interrupt, break] 2: become separated into pieces or fragments; "The figurine broke"; "The freshly baked loaf fell apart" [syn: break, separate, split up, fall apart, come apart] 3: render inoperable or ineffective; "You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!" 4: ruin completely; "He busted my radio!" [syn: break, bust] [ant: bushel, doctor, fix, furbish up, mend, repair, restore, touch on] 5: destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments; "He broke the glass plate"; "She broke the match" 6: 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" [syn: transgress, offend, infract, violate, go against, breach, break] [ant: keep, observe] 7: move away or escape suddenly; "The horses broke from the stable"; "Three inmates broke jail"; "Nobody can break out-- this prison is high security" [syn: break, break out, break away] 8: scatter or part; "The clouds broke after the heavy downpour" 9: force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up; "break into tears"; "erupt in anger" [syn: break, burst, erupt] 10: prevent completion; "stop the project"; "break off the negotiations" [syn: break, break off, discontinue, stop] 11: 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?" [syn: break in, break] 12: make submissive, obedient, or useful; "The horse was tough to break"; "I broke in the new intern" [syn: break in, break] 13: fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns; "This sentence violates the rules of syntax" [syn: violate, go against, break] [ant: conform to] 14: surpass in excellence; "She bettered her own record"; "break a record" [syn: better, break] 15: 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" [syn: unwrap, disclose, let on, bring out, reveal, discover, expose, divulge, break, give away, let out}] 16: come into being; "light broke over the horizon"; "Voices broke in the air" 17: 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" [syn: fail, go bad, give way, die, give out, conk out, go, break, break down] 18: interrupt a continued activity; "She had broken with the traditional patterns" [syn: break, break away] 19: make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing; "The ranks broke" 20: curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves; "The surf broke" 21: lessen in force or effect; "soften a shock"; "break a fall" [syn: dampen, damp, soften, weaken, break] 22: be broken in; "If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress" 23: come to an end; "The heat wave finally broke yesterday" 24: vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity; "The flat plain was broken by tall mesas" 25: cause to give up a habit; "She finally broke herself of smoking cigarettes" 26: give up; "break cigarette smoking" 27: come forth or begin from a state of latency; "The first winter storm broke over New York" 28: happen or take place; "Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months" 29: cause the failure or ruin of; "His peccadilloes finally broke his marriage"; "This play will either make or break the playwright" [ant: make] 30: invalidate by judicial action; "The will was broken" 31: 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" [syn: separate, part, split up, split, break, break up] 32: assign to a lower position; reduce in rank; "She was demoted because she always speaks up"; "He was broken down to Sergeant" [syn: demote, bump, relegate, break, kick downstairs}] [ant: advance, elevate, kick upstairs, promote, raise, upgrade] 33: reduce to bankruptcy; "My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!"; "The slump in the financial markets smashed him" [syn: bankrupt, ruin, break, smash] 34: change directions suddenly 35: emerge from the surface of a body of water; "The whales broke" 36: 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" [syn: collapse, fall in, cave in, give, give way, break, founder] 37: do a break dance; "Kids were break-dancing at the street corner" [syn: break dance, break-dance, break] 38: exchange for smaller units of money; "I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy" 39: destroy the completeness of a set of related items; "The book dealer would not break the set" [syn: break, break up}] 40: make the opening shot that scatters the balls 41: separate from a clinch, in boxing; "The referee broke the boxers" 42: go to pieces; "The lawn mower finally broke"; "The gears wore out"; "The old chair finally fell apart completely" [syn: break, wear, wear out, bust, fall apart] 43: break a piece from a whole; "break a branch from a tree" [syn: break, break off, snap off] 44: become punctured or penetrated; "The skin broke" 45: pierce or penetrate; "The blade broke her skin" 46: be released or become known; of news; "News of her death broke in the morning" [syn: break, get out, get around}] 47: cease an action temporarily; "We pause for station identification"; "let's break for lunch" [syn: pause, intermit, break] 48: interrupt the flow of current in; "break a circuit" 49: undergo breaking; "The simple vowels broke in many Germanic languages" 50: find a flaw in; "break an alibi"; "break down a proof" 51: find the solution or key to; "break the code" 52: change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another; "Her voice broke to a whisper when she started to talk about her children" 53: happen; "Report the news as it develops"; "These political movements recrudesce from time to time" [syn: break, recrudesce, develop] 54: become fractured; break or crack on the surface only; "The glass cracked when it was heated" [syn: crack, check, break] 55: crack; of the male voice in puberty; "his voice is breaking --he should no longer sing in the choir" 56: fall sharply; "stock prices broke" 57: fracture a bone of; "I broke my foot while playing hockey" [syn: fracture, break] 58: diminish or discontinue abruptly; "The patient's fever broke last night" 59: weaken or destroy in spirit or body; "His resistance was broken"; "a man broken by the terrible experience of near- death"

break ̈ɪbreɪk See: COFFEE BREAK.

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>

break
1.
v. & n.
--v. (past broke or archaic brake; past part. broken or archaic broke)
1 tr. & intr. a separate into pieces under a blow or strain; shatter. b make or become inoperative, esp. from damage (the toaster has broken). c break a bone in or dislocate (part of the body). d break the skin of (the head or crown).
2 a tr. cause or effect an interruption in (broke our journey; the spell was broken; broke the silence). b intr. have an interval between spells of work (let's break now; we broke for tea).
3 tr. fail to observe or keep (a law, promise, etc.).
4 a tr. & intr. make or become subdued or weakened; yield or cause to yield (broke his spirit; he broke under the strain). b tr. weaken the effect of (a fall, blow, etc.). c tr. = break in 3c. d tr. defeat, destroy (broke the enemy's power). e tr. defeat the object of (a strike, e.g. by engaging other personnel).
5 tr. surpass (a record).
6 intr. (foll. by with) quarrel or cease association with (another person etc.).
7 tr. a be no longer subject to (a habit). b (foll. by of) cause (a person) to be free of a habit (broke them of their addiction).
8 tr. & intr. reveal or be revealed; (cause to) become known (broke the news; the story broke on Friday).
9 intr. a (of the weather) change suddenly, esp. after a fine spell. b (of waves) curl over and dissolve into foam. c (of the day) dawn. d (of clouds) move apart; show a gap. e (of a storm) begin violently.
10 tr. Electr. disconnect (a circuit).
11 intr. a (of the voice) change with emotion. b (of a boy's voice) change in register etc. at puberty.
12 tr. a (often foll. by up) divide (a set etc.) into parts, e.g. by selling to different buyers. b change (a banknote etc.) for coins.
13 tr. ruin (an individual or institution) financially (see also BROKE adj.).
14 tr. penetrate (e.g. a safe) by force.
15 tr. decipher (a code).
16 tr. make (a way, path, etc.) by separating obstacles.
17 intr. burst forth (the sun broke through the clouds).
18 Mil. a intr. (of troops) disperse in confusion. b tr. make a rupture in (ranks).
19 a intr. (usu. foll. by free, loose, out, etc.) escape from constraint by a sudden effort. b tr. escape or emerge from (prison, bounds, cover, etc.).
20 tr. Tennis etc. win a game against (an opponent's service).
21 intr. Boxing etc. (of two fighters, usu. at the referee's command) come out of a clinch.
22 Mil. tr. demote (an officer).
23 intr. esp. Stock Exch. (of prices) fall sharply.
24 intr. Cricket (of a bowled ball) change direction on bouncing.
25 intr. Billiards etc. disperse the balls at the beginning of a game.
26 tr. unfurl (a flag etc.).
27 tr. Phonet. subject (a vowel) to fracture.
28 tr. fail to rejoin (one's ship) after absence on leave.
29 tr. disprove (an alibi).
--n.
1 a an act or instance of breaking. b a point where something is broken; a gap.
2 an interval, an interruption; a pause in work.
3 a sudden dash (esp. to escape).
4 colloq. a a piece of good luck; a fair chance. b (also bad break) an unfortunate remark or action, a blunder.
5 Cricket a change in direction of a bowled ball on bouncing.
6 Billiards etc. a a series of points scored during one turn. b the opening shot that disperses the balls.
7 Mus. (in jazz) a short unaccompanied passage for a soloist, usu. improvised.
8 Electr. a discontinuity in a circuit.
Phrases and idioms:
bad break colloq.
1 a piece of bad luck.
2 a mistake or blunder. break away make or become free or separate (see also BREAKAWAY).
break the back of
1 do the hardest or greatest part of.
2 overburden (a person). break bulk see BULK. break crop a crop grown to avoid the continual growing of cereals. break-dancing an energetic style of street-dancing, developed by US Blacks.
break down
1 a fail in mechanical action; cease to function. b (of human relationships etc.) fail, collapse. c fail in (esp. mental) health. d be overcome by emotion; collapse in tears.
2 a demolish, destroy. b suppress (resistance). c force (a person) to yield under pressure.
3 analyse into components (see also BREAKDOWN). break even emerge from a transaction etc. with neither profit nor loss. break a person's heart see HEART. break the ice 1 begin to overcome formality or shyness, esp. between strangers.
2 make a start.
break in
1 enter premises by force, esp. with criminal intent.
2 interrupt.
3 a accustom to a habit etc. b wear etc. until comfortable. c tame or discipline (an animal); accustom (a horse) to saddle and bridle etc.
4 Austral. & NZ bring (virgin land) into cultivation. break-in n. an illegal forced entry into premises, esp. with criminal intent. breaking and entering (formerly) the illegal entering of a building with intent to commit a felony. breaking-point the point of greatest strain, at which a thing breaks or a person gives way. break in on disturb; interrupt.
break into
1 enter forcibly or violently.
2 a suddenly begin, burst forth with (a song, laughter, etc.). b suddenly change one's pace for (a faster one) (broke into a gallop).
3 interrupt. break-line Printing the last line of a paragraph (usu. not of full length). break of day dawn.
break off
1 detach by breaking.
2 bring to an end.
3 cease talking etc. break open open forcibly.
break out
1 escape by force, esp. from prison.
2 begin suddenly; burst forth (then violence broke out).
3 (foll. by in) become covered in (a rash etc.).
4 exclaim.
5 release (a run-up flag).
6 US a open up (a receptacle) and remove its contents. b remove (articles) from a place of storage. break-out n. a forcible escape.
break point
1 a place or time at which an interruption or change is made.
2 Computing (usu. breakpoint) a place in a computer program where the sequence of instructions is interrupted, esp. by another program.
3 a (in lawn tennis) a point which would win the game for the player(s) receiving service. b the situation at which the receiver(s) may break service by winning such a point.
4 = breaking-point. break step get out of step.
break up
1 break into small pieces.
2 disperse; disband.
3 end the school term.
4 a terminate a relationship; disband. b cause to do this.
5 (of the weather) change suddenly (esp. after a fine spell).
6 esp. US a upset or be upset. b excite or be excited. c convulse or be convulsed (see also BREAKUP). break wind release gas from the anus. break one's word see WORD.
Etymology: OE brecan f. Gmc
2.
n.
1 a carriage-frame without a body, for breaking in young horses.
2 = BRAKE(2).
Etymology: perh. = brake framework: 17th c., of unkn. orig.

break (breaks, breaking, broke, broken) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. When an object breaks or when you break it, it suddenly separates into two or more pieces, often because it has been hit or dropped. He fell through the window, breaking the glass... The plate broke... Break the cauliflower into florets... The plane broke into three pieces. ...bombed-out buildings, surrounded by broken glass and rubble... The only sound was the crackle of breaking ice. VERB: V n, V, V n into pl-n, V into pl-n, V-ed, V-ing 2. If you break a part of your body such as your leg, your arm, or your nose, or if a bone breaks, you are injured because a bone cracks or splits. She broke a leg in a skiing accident... Old bones break easily... Several people were treated for broken bones. VERB: V n, V, V-ed • Break is also a noun. It has caused a bad break to Gabriella's leg. N-COUNT 3. If a surface, cover, or seal breaks or if something breaks it, a hole or tear is made in it, so that a substance can pass through. Once you've broken the seal of a bottle there's no way you can put it back together again... The bandage must be put on when the blister breaks... Do not use the cream on broken skin. VERB: V n, V, V-ed 4. When a tool or piece of machinery breaks or when you break it, it is damaged and no longer works. When the clutch broke, the car was locked into second gear... The lead biker broke his bike chain. VERB: V, V n, also V-ed 5. If you break a rule, promise, or agreement, you do something that you should not do according to that rule, promise, or agreement. We didn't know we were breaking the law. ...broken promises. VERB: V n, V-ed 6. If you break free or loose, you free yourself from something or escape from it. She broke free by thrusting her elbow into his chest. VERB: V adj 7. If someone breaks something, especially a difficult or unpleasant situation that has existed for some time, they end it or change it. New proposals have been put forward to break the deadlock among rival factions... The country is heading towards elections which may break the party's long hold on power. VERB: V n, V n • Break is also a noun. Nothing that might lead to a break in the deadlock has been discussed yet. N-COUNT: usu sing 8. If someone or something breaks a silence, they say something or make a noise after a long period of silence. Hugh broke the silence. 'Is she always late?' he asked... VERB: V n 9. If there is a break in the cloud or weather, it changes and there is a short period of sunshine or fine weather. A sudden break in the cloud allowed rescuers to spot Michael Benson. N-COUNT 10. If you break with a group of people or a traditional way of doing things, or you break your connection with them, you stop being involved with that group or stop doing things in that way. In 1959, Akihito broke with imperial tradition by marrying a commoner... They were determined to break from precedent... They have yet to break the link with the trade unions. VERB: V with n, V from n, V n with n, also V n • Break is also a noun. Making a completely clean break with the past, the couple got rid of all their old furniture. N-COUNT: usu sing 11. If you break a habit or if someone breaks you of it, you no longer have that habit. If you continue to smoke, keep trying to break the habit... The professor hoped to break the students of the habit of looking for easy answers. VERB: V n, V n of n 12. To break someone means to destroy their determination and courage, their success, or their career. He never let his jailers break him... Ken's wife, Vicki, said: 'He's a broken man.' = destroy VERB: V n, V-ed 13. If someone breaks for a short period of time, they rest or change from what they are doing for a short period. They broke for lunch. VERB: V 14. A break is a short period of time when you have a rest or a change from what you are doing, especially if you are working or if you are in a boring or unpleasant situation. They may be able to help with childcare so that you can have a break... I thought a 15 min break from his work would do him good... She rang Moira during a coffee break. N-COUNT: oft N from/in n see also lunch break, tea break 15. A break is a short holiday. They are currently taking a short break in Spain. N-COUNT 16. If you break your journey somewhere, you stop there for a short time so that you can have a rest. Because of the heat we broke our journey at a small country hotel. VERB: V n 17. To break the force of something such as a blow or fall means to weaken its effect, for example by getting in the way of it. He sustained serious neck injuries after he broke someone's fall. VERB: V n 18. When a piece of news breaks, people hear about it from the newspapers, television, or radio. The news broke that the Prime Minister had resigned... He resigned from his post as Bishop when the scandal broke. VERB: V, V 19. When you break a piece of bad news to someone, you tell it to them, usually in a kind way. Then Louise broke the news that she was leaving me... I worried for ages and decided that I had better break it to her. VERB: V n, V n to n 20. A break is a lucky opportunity that someone gets to achieve something. (INFORMAL) He went into TV and got his first break playing opposite Sid James in the series 'Citizen James'. N-COUNT 21. If you break a record, you beat the previous record for a particular achievement. Jurassic Park had broken all box office records. VERB: V n see also record-breaking 22. When day or dawn breaks, it starts to grow light after the night has ended. They continued the search as dawn broke. VERB: V see also daybreak 23. When a wave breaks, it passes its highest point and turns downwards, for example when it reaches the shore. Danny listened to the waves breaking against the shore. VERB: V 24. If you break a secret code, you work out how to understand it. It was feared they could break the Allies' codes. = crack VERB: V n 25. If someone's voice breaks when they are speaking, it changes its sound, for example because they are sad or afraid. Godfrey's voice broke, and halted. VERB: V 26. When a boy's voice breaks, it becomes deeper and sounds more like a man's voice. He sings with the strained discomfort of someone whose voice hasn't quite broken. VERB: V 27. If the weather breaks or a storm breaks, it suddenly becomes rainy or stormy after a period of sunshine. I've been waiting for the weather to break... VERB: V 28. In tennis, if you break your opponent's serve, you win a game in which your opponent is serving. He broke McEnroe's serve. VERB: V n • Break is also a noun. A single break of serve settled the first two sets. N-COUNT 29. see also broke, broken, heartbreak, heartbreaking, heartbroken, outbreak 30. The break of day or the break of dawn is the time when it begins to grow light after the night. (LITERARY) 'I,' he finished poetically, 'will watch over you to the break of day.' PHRASE: prep PHR 31. You can say 'give me a break' to show that you are annoyed by what someone has said or done. (INFORMAL) 'I'm a real intellectual-type guy, Tracy,' James joked. 'Oh, give me a break,' Tracy moaned. CONVENTION [feelings] 32. If you make a break or make a break for it, you run to escape from something. The moment had come to make a break or die... PHRASE: V inflects 33. to break cover: see cover to break even: see even to break new ground: see ground to break someone's heart: see heart all hell breaks loose: see hell to break the ice: see ice to break ranks: see rank to break wind: see wind

6. That which has been publicly achieved in any kind of competitive sport as recorded in some authoritative manner, as the time made by a winning horse in a race. Court of record (pron. r?*k?rd" in Eng.), a court whose acts and judicial proceedings are written on parchment or in books for a perpetual memorial. Debt of record, a debt which appears to be due by the evidence of a court of record, as upon a judgment or a cognizance. Trial by record, a trial which is had when a matter of record is pleaded, and the opposite party pleads that there is no such record. In this case the trial is by inspection of the record itself, no other evidence being admissible. --Blackstone. To beat, or break, the record (Sporting), to surpass any performance of like kind as authoritatively recorded; as, to break the record in a walking match.

Break \Break\, v. t. [imp. broke, (Obs. Brake); p. p. Broken, (Obs. Broke); p. pr. & vb. n. Breaking.] [OE. breken, AS. brecan; akin to OS. brekan, D. breken, OHG. brehhan, G. brechen, Icel. braka to creak, Sw. braka, br["a]kka to crack, Dan. br[ae]kke to break, Goth. brikan to break, L. frangere. Cf. Bray to pound, Breach, Fragile.] 1. To strain apart; to sever by fracture; to divide with violence; as, to break a rope or chain; to break a seal; to break an axle; to break rocks or coal; to break a lock. --Shak. 2. To lay open as by breaking; to divide; as, to break a package of goods. 3. To lay open, as a purpose; to disclose, divulge, or communicate. Katharine, break thy mind to me. --Shak. 4. To infringe or violate, as an obligation, law, or promise. Out, out, hyena! these are thy wonted arts . . . To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray. --Milton 5. To interrupt; to destroy the continuity of; to dissolve or terminate; as, to break silence; to break one's sleep; to break one's journey. Go, release them, Ariel; My charms I'll break, their senses I'll restore. --Shak. 6. To destroy the completeness of; to remove a part from; as, to break a set. 7. To destroy the arrangement of; to throw into disorder; to pierce; as, the cavalry were not able to break the British squares. 8. To shatter to pieces; to reduce to fragments. The victim broke in pieces the musical instruments with which he had solaced the hours of captivity. --Prescott. 9. To exchange for other money or currency of smaller denomination; as, to break a five dollar bill. 10. To destroy the strength, firmness, or consistency of; as, to break flax. 11. To weaken or impair, as health, spirit, or mind. An old man, broken with the storms of state. --Shak. 12. To diminish the force of; to lessen the shock of, as a fall or blow. I'll rather leap down first, and break your fall. --Dryden. 13. To impart, as news or information; to broach; -- with to, and often with a modified word implying some reserve; as, to break the news gently to the widow; to break a purpose cautiously to a friend. 14. To tame; to reduce to subjection; to make tractable; to discipline; as, to break a horse to the harness or saddle. ``To break a colt.'' --Spenser. Why, then thou canst not break her to the lute? --Shak. 15. To destroy the financial credit of; to make bankrupt; to ruin. With arts like these rich Matho, when he speaks, Attracts all fees, and little lawyers breaks. --Dryden. 16. To destroy the official character and standing of; to cashier; to dismiss. I see a great officer broken. --Swift. Note: With prepositions or adverbs: To break down. (a) To crush; to overwhelm; as, to break down one's strength; to break down opposition. (b) To remove, or open a way through, by breaking; as, to break down a door or wall. To break in. (a) To force in; as, to break in a door. (b) To train; to discipline; as, a horse well broken in. To break of, to rid of; to cause to abandon; as, to break one of a habit. To break off. (a) To separate by breaking; as, to break off a twig. (b) To stop suddenly; to abandon. ``Break off thy sins by righteousness.'' --Dan. iv. 27. To break open, to open by breaking. ``Open the door, or I will break it open.'' --Shak. To break out, to take or force out by breaking; as, to break out a pane of glass. To break out a cargo, to unstow a cargo, so as to unload it easily. To break through. (a) To make an opening through, as, as by violence or the force of gravity; to pass violently through; as, to break through the enemy's lines; to break through the ice. (b) To disregard; as, to break through the ceremony. To break up. (a) To separate into parts; to plow (new or fallow ground). ``Break up this capon.'' --Shak. ``Break up your fallow ground.'' --Jer. iv. 3. (b) To dissolve; to put an end to. ``Break up the court.'' --Shak. To break (one) all up, to unsettle or disconcert completely; to upset. [Colloq.] Note: With an immediate object: To break the back. (a) To dislocate the backbone; hence, to disable totally. (b) To get through the worst part of; as, to break the back of a difficult undertaking. To break bulk, to destroy the entirety of a load by removing a portion of it; to begin to unload; also, to transfer in detail, as from boats to cars. To break cover, to burst forth from a protecting concealment, as game when hunted. To break a deer or stag, to cut it up and apportion the parts among those entitled to a share. To break fast, to partake of food after abstinence. See Breakfast. To break ground. (a) To open the earth as for planting; to commence excavation, as for building, siege operations, and the like; as, to break ground for a foundation, a canal, or a railroad. (b) Fig.: To begin to execute any plan. (c) (Naut.) To release the anchor from the bottom. To break the heart, to crush or overwhelm (one) with grief. To break a house (Law), to remove or set aside with violence and a felonious intent any part of a house or of the fastenings provided to secure it. To break the ice, to get through first difficulties; to overcome obstacles and make a beginning; to introduce a subject. To break jail, to escape from confinement in jail, usually by forcible means. To break a jest, to utter a jest. ``Patroclus . . . the livelong day breaks scurril jests.'' --Shak. To break joints, to lay or arrange bricks, shingles, etc., so that the joints in one course shall not coincide with those in the preceding course. To break a lance, to engage in a tilt or contest. To break the neck, to dislocate the joints of the neck. To break no squares, to create no trouble. [Obs.] To break a path, road, etc., to open a way through obstacles by force or labor. To break upon a wheel, to execute or torture, as a criminal by stretching him upon a wheel, and breaking his limbs with an iron bar; -- a mode of punishment formerly employed in some countries. To break wind, to give vent to wind from the anus. Syn: To dispart; rend; tear; shatter; batter; violate; infringe; demolish; destroy; burst; dislocate.

Break \Break\, v. i. 1. To come apart or divide into two or more pieces, usually with suddenness and violence; to part; to burst asunder. 2. To open spontaneously, or by pressure from within, as a bubble, a tumor, a seed vessel, a bag. Else the bottle break, and the wine runneth out. --Math. ix. 17. 3. To burst forth; to make its way; to come to view; to appear; to dawn. The day begins to break, and night is fled. --Shak. And from the turf a fountain broke, and gurgled at our feet. --Wordsworth. 4. To burst forth violently, as a storm. The clouds are still above; and, while I speak, A second deluge o'er our head may break. --Dryden. 5. To open up; to be scattered; to be dissipated; as, the clouds are breaking. At length the darkness begins to break. --Macaulay. 6. To become weakened in constitution or faculties; to lose health or strength. See how the dean begins to break; Poor gentleman! he droops apace. --Swift. 7. To be crushed, or overwhelmed with sorrow or grief; as, my heart is breaking. 8. To fall in business; to become bankrupt. He that puts all upon adventures doth oftentimes break, and come to poverty. --Bacn. 9. To make an abrupt or sudden change; to change the gait; as, to break into a run or gallop. 10. To fail in musical quality; as, a singer's voice breaks when it is strained beyond its compass and a tone or note is not completed, but degenerates into an unmusical sound instead. Also, to change in tone, as a boy's voice at puberty. 11. To fall out; to terminate friendship. To break upon the score of danger or expense is to be mean and narrow-spirited. --Collier. Note: With prepositions or adverbs: To break away, to disengage one's self abruptly; to come or go away against resistance. Fear me not, man; I will not break away. --Shak. To break down. (a) To come down by breaking; as, the coach broke down. (b) To fail in any undertaking. He had broken down almost at the outset. --Thackeray. To break forth, to issue; to come out suddenly, as sound, light, etc. ``Then shall thy light break forth as the morning.'' --Isa. lviii. 8; Note: often with into in expressing or giving vent to one's feelings. ``Break forth into singing, ye mountains.'' --Isa. xliv. 23. To break from, to go away from abruptly. This radiant from the circling crowd he broke. --Dryden. To break into, to enter by breaking; as, to break into a house. To break in upon, to enter or approach violently or unexpectedly. ``This, this is he; softly awhile; let us not break in upon him.'' --Milton. To break loose. (a) To extricate one's self forcibly. ``Who would not, finding way, break loose from hell?'' --Milton. (b) To cast off restraint, as of morals or propriety. To break off. (a) To become separated by rupture, or with suddenness and violence. (b) To desist or cease suddenly. ``Nay, forward, old man; do not break off so.'' --Shak. To break off from, to desist from; to abandon, as a habit. To break out. (a) To burst forth; to escape from restraint; to appear suddenly, as a fire or an epidemic. ``For in the wilderness shall waters break out, and stream in the desert.'' --Isa. xxxv. 6 (b) To show itself in cutaneous eruptions; -- said of a disease. (c) To have a rash or eruption on the akin; -- said of a patient. To break over, to overflow; to go beyond limits. To break up. (a) To become separated into parts or fragments; as, the ice break up in the rivers; the wreck will break up in the next storm. (b) To disperse. ``The company breaks up.'' --I. Watts. To break upon, to discover itself suddenly to; to dawn upon. To break with. (a) To fall out; to sever one's relations with; to part friendship. ``It can not be the Volsces dare break with us.'' --Shak. ``If she did not intend to marry Clive, she should have broken with him altogether.'' --Thackeray. (b) To come to an explanation; to enter into conference; to speak. [Obs.] ``I will break with her and with her father.'' --Shak.

Break \Break\ ( [1913 Webster]), n. [See Break, v. t., and cf. Brake (the instrument), Breach, Brack a crack.] 1. An opening made by fracture or disruption. 2. An interruption of continuity; change of direction; as, a break in a wall; a break in the deck of a ship. Specifically: (a) (Arch.) A projection or recess from the face of a building. (b) (Elec.) An opening or displacement in the circuit, interrupting the electrical current. 3. An interruption; a pause; as, a break in friendship; a break in the conversation. 4. An interruption in continuity in writing or printing, as where there is an omission, an unfilled line, etc. All modern trash is Set forth with numerous breaks and dashes. --Swift. 5. The first appearing, as of light in the morning; the dawn; as, the break of day; the break of dawn. 6. A large four-wheeled carriage, having a straight body and calash top, with the driver's seat in front and the footman's behind. 7. A device for checking motion, or for measuring friction. See Brake, n. 9 & 10. 8. (Teleg.) See Commutator.

break 1. vt. To cause to be broken (in any sense). "Your latest patch to the editor broke the paragraph commands." 2. v. (of a program) To stop temporarily, so that it may debugged. The place where it stops is a `breakpoint'. 3. [techspeak] vi. To send an RS-232 break (two character widths of line high) over a serial comm line. 4. [Unix] vi. To strike whatever key currently causes the tty driver to send SIGINT to the current process. Normally, break (sense 3), delete or control-C does this. 5. `break break' may be said to interrupt a conversation (this is an example of verb doubling). This usage comes from radio communications, which in turn probably came from landline telegraph/teleprinter usage, as badly abused in the Citizen's Band craze a few years ago.

BREAK brak: shabhar = "break" (down, off, in pieces, up), "destroy," "quench" (Isa 14:25; Jer 19:10,11; Eze 4:16; Am 1:5); paraq = "to break off" or "craunch"; figuratively "to deliver" (Ge 27:40 the King James Version); `araph = "to break the neck," hence, "to destroy" (Ex 13:13); harac = "to break through" (Ex 19:21,24); parats = "to break" (forth, away), occurs in Ex 19:22,24; 1Sa 25:10; "breaking faith," Ho 4:2; parach = "to break forth as a bud" (Le 13:12); nathats or nathaq = "destroy" (Eze 23:34 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "gnaw"; see BREAST); chalal = "profane," "defile," "stain" (Nu 30:2; Ps 89:31,34); baqa = "rip open" (2Ki 3:26; Isa 58:8); ra`a` = "to spoil by breaking to pieces," "to make good for nothing" (Job 34:24; Ps 2:9; Jer 15:12, the King James Version "Shall iron break northern iron?"); patsach = "to break out" (in joyful sound), "break forth," "make a noise" (Isa 14:7, the nations rejoice in the peace which follows the fall of the oppressor); nir = "to glisten," "gleam" (as of a fresh furrow) (Jer 4:3; Ho 10:12); pathach = "to open wide," "loosen," "have vent" (Jer 1:14); naphats = "to dash to pieces or scatter," "overspread," "scatter" (Jer 48:12, the work usually done carefully shall be done roughly; Jer 51:20-23, descriptive of the terrible fate appointed for Babylon); na'aph = "to break wedlock" (Eze 16:38); tsalach or tsaleach = "break out," "come mightily" (Am 5:6). The New Testament employs luo = "to loosen," "dissolve" (Mt 5:19); diorusso = "to penetrate burglariously," "break through" (Mt 6:19,20, Greek "dig through"); rhegnumi or rhesso = "to disrupt," "burst," "to utter with a loud voice" (Ga 4:27); klao = "to break" (Ac 20:7, "to break bread," i.e. to celebrate the Lord's Supper; 1Co 10:16). See also BREACH. Frank E. Hirsch

break I. v. a. 1. Rend, sever, part, dispart, fracture, tear asunder. 2. Shatter, shiver, smash, batter, dash to pieces. 3. Enfeeble, enervate, weaken, impair. 4. Tame, make tractable, make docile. 5. Make bankrupt, bankrupt. 6. Discard, dismiss, discharge, degrade, cashier. 7. Violate, infringe, transgress, disobey, set at nought. 8. Lessen the force of (as a fall), mitigate. See assuage. 9. Interrupt, stop, intermit, cut short. 10. Disclose, open, unfold, lay open. II. v. n. 1. Be shattered, be shivered, be dashed to pieces. 2. Burst, explode. 3. Open, dawn, appear. 4. Become bankrupt. 5. Decline, lose health or strength. III. n. 1. Breach, opening, gap, fissure, rent, rift, chasm, rupture, fracture. 2. Interruption, pause, caesura. 3. Dawn, dawning.

break ̈ɪbreɪk v. 1 break apart or up or asunder, fracture, rupture, break into bits, come apart, shatter, shiver, crack, crash, splinter, fragment, split, burst, explode, Colloq bust: The ball flew over the fence and broke my neighbour's window. She fell and broke her wrist. 2 reveal, announce, disclose, divulge, tell, make public: Break the news to him gently. 3 relax, ease up, improve, ameliorate, change for the better: When will this spell of wet weather break? 4 demolish, smash, destroy, crush, ruin, defeat, foil, frustrate: The power of the dictator was finally broken. 5 ruin, bankrupt: He's the man that broke the bank at Monte Carlo. 6 weary, exhaust, wear out, weaken, debilitate: Twenty years in the chain-gang had broken him completely. 7 crush, overcome; cow, cripple, demoralize, weaken, undermine, discourage: The divorce has broken her spirit. 8 break in, tame, discipline, train, condition: I used to break horses for a living. 9 violate, transgress, disobey, contravene, defy, infringe, fail to observe, ignore, disregard, flout: If you break the law, you'll regret it. They broke the contract. 10 break off, discontinue, interrupt, sever, cut off; give up, suspend, disrupt: We broke relations with Spain after the incident. It is very difficult to break a habit of a lifetime. The narrative breaks at this point, to be taken up later. 11 break up, divide, disperse, scatter: The rain is over and the clouds are breaking. 12 break loose or away or forth, separate from, break out (of), escape (from), depart (from): The ship broke from its moorings during the storm. 13 break forth, burst forth; emerge or come out suddenly: The storm broke in all its fury. After a little while, the sun broke through. 14 demote, Colloq bust: He was broken from sergeant to private. 15 break away. leave, depart, separate (oneself): A small group broke away from the established church to worship as they saw fit. 16 break down. a demolish, destroy: All right, men, let's break down that wall. b decompose, break up; analyse: The carbon dioxide molecules and water are broken down by photosynthesis. c collapse, give way, disintegrate, be crushed, be prostrated: His health has broken down completely. 17 break ground. initiate, begin, commence, found, set up, establish, inaugurate, be innovative, innovate, Colloq break the ice, take the plunge, start the ball rolling: Laser printers have broken new ground in the area of computer printout. 18 break in. a interrupt, interpose, interject, burst in, intrude, intervene, interfere, disturb: If the results of the election become known, we shall break in to keep you informed. b train, educate, prepare; accustom, condition, habituate, wear: We'll break you in for a week or two on the new machine. Wear your new boots for an hour each day to break them in. c rob, burgle, burglarize, break and enter: Someone broke in and stole my video recorder last night. 19 break off. a discontinue, stop, cease, end: Sally broke off in mid sentence. After the Fashoda Incident, Britain broke off relations with France. b disengage; sever, detach, break: A large branch broke off from the tree and crashed down, narrowly missing me. 20 break out. a escape; emerge, appear: She broke out of prison in 1985 and hasn't been seen since. b erupt, come out in, break out in or into: He breaks out in a rash from eating strawberries. A war could break out any minute. 21 break the ice. See 17, above. 22 break through. penetrate, force or get through: Wit, like beauty, can break through the most unpromising disguise. 23 break up. See also 11, 16 (b), above. a disband, disperse; disintegrate: Heraclius succeeded in breaking up the Persian power. b fracture, fragment, comminute: In the spring, the ice on the river breaks up. c See 24 (a), below. 24 break with. a break up (with), separate from, leave, depart from: The leader broke with the party and established a new organization. Sally has broken up with Michael. b renounce, repudiate, disavow: They have broken entirely with the traditions we valued so highly. --n. 25 fracture, split, separation, rupture, breach, rift, schism: There was a break in a gas pipe. Disagreement over the fishing grounds has resulted in a break in relations. 26 gap, opening, hole; crack, slit: You can escape through a break in the wall near the bridge. 27 interruption, discontinuity, discontinuation, hesitation, suspension, hiatus, gap, lacuna, unevenness, irregularity: There was a five-minute break in transmission from the ship. 28 rest, respite, rest period, coffee-break, tea break, intermission, interlude, lull, pause, playtime, US recess, Colloq breather: We take a break at ten o'clock. 29 chance, stroke of luck, opportunity, opening: All he needs is a break to get started.

992 Moby Thesaurus words for "break": abeyance, about ship, about-face, abrade, abrasion, abscond, abysm, abyss, accidentality, acclimate, acclimatize, accommodate, accommodation, accustom, actuarial calculation, adapt, adaptation, adjust, adjustment, adventitiousness, agree to disagree, alienation, alter, alteration, ameliorate, amelioration, announce, apostasy, appear, apprentice, arrearage, arroyo, back and fill, bankrupt, bark, be at cross-purposes, be changed, be converted into, be poised, be renewed, be ruined, bear away, bear market, bear off, bear to starboard, bearish market, beat, beat about, beat down, become insolvent, become public, bed, bed down, befall, begin, bend, betide, betterment, billow, blemish, blessing, bloody, blooper, blow, boner, boo-boo, boot, bottom out, bounce, box canyon, box off, breach, breach of friendship, break, break away, break down, break forth, break ground, break in, break of, break off, break open, break out, break the ice, break through, break to harness, break up, break with, breakage, breakout, breath, breathe, breather, breathing place, breathing space, breathing spell, breathing time, breed, bridle, brighten, bring about, bring low, bring round, bring to terms, bring up, broken circuit, browbeat, brush, bulldoze, bully, bump, bunk, burglarize, burgle, burn, burn off, burst, burst forth, burst in, bust, buzz about, caesura, call a break, call time, can, cant, cant round, canyon, case harden, cashier, cast, cast about, castrate, casualness, cave, cave in, cavity, cease, cease-fire, cessation, chafe, chance, change, change course, change of heart, change the heading, changeableness, chap, chasm, cheapen, cheapening, check, checker, chimney, chink, chip, chop, chop and change, cigarette break, cipher, circuit, circuital field, circulate, clamp down on, clash, claw, cleavage, cleave, cleft, cleuch, closed circuit, clough, cocktail hour, coerce, coffee break, col, collapse, collide, comb, come about, come apart, come around, come forth, come off, come out, come round, come unstuck, commence, comminute, communicate, compel, complete circuit, concussion, condition, confirm, conflict, confound, confute, conk out, conquer, constructive change, continuity, contradict, contravene, controvert, conversion, convey, coulee, couloir, counter, cow, crack, crackle, cranny, crash, craze, crevasse, crevice, cripple, crumble, crumple, crush, cryptanalyze, cultivate, cure, curry, currycomb, cut, cut apart, cut off, cut prices, cwm, dash, daunt, dawn, day off, dead circuit, debilitate, decamp, decipher, declare a recess, decline, declining market, decompose, deconsecrate, decrypt, defalcation, defeat, defect, defection, deficiency, deficit, defile, deflate, deflation, defrock, defy, degenerate, degeneration, degenerative change, degrade, deliverance, delivery, dell, dement, demerit, demolish, demoralize, demote, depart, depart from, deplume, depose, depreciate, depreciation, deprive, despotize, destiny, destroy, detach, deteriorate, deterioration, dethrone, devaluate, devaluation, develop, deviate, deviation, differ, difference, dike, disaccord, disaccustom, disaffection, disagree, disarrange, disavow, disband, disbar, discipline, disclose, disconfirm, discontinuation, discontinue, discontinuity, discourage, discrown, disemploy, disengage, disenthrone, disfavor, disgrade, disintegrate, disjoin, dismiss, disobey, disperse, displace, displume, disregard, disrupt, disruption, dissent, dissolve, disturb, disunion, disunity, ditch, dive, diverge, divergence, diversification, diversify, diversion, diversity, divide, dividedness, division, divulge, do violence to, domesticate, domesticize, domineer, domineer over, donga, double a point, downgrade, downtime, draw, drench, drill, droop, drop, drum out, ease up, ebb and flow, educate, emerge, emergence, end, enforced respite, enslave, erupt, escape, escapism, establish, estrangement, evasion, evert, excavation, excommunicate, exercise, exfoliate, exhaust, expel, explode, extrication, fade, fail, faint, fall, fall in price, fall out, fall to pieces, falling-out, familiarize, fate, fault, faux, feed, fell, fetch about, fetch up, find vent, fire, fissure, fit, fitting, fix, fizzle out, flag, flash burn, flatten, flaw, flee, flight, flip-flop, flop, flout, fluke, flukiness, flume, fly, fly about, fodder, foil, fold, fold up, form, fortuitousness, fortuity, fortune, foster, found, fracture, fragment, fray, frazzle, freeing, fret, frustrate, furlough, furrow, gaffe, gall, galvanic circuit, gamble, gap, gape, gash, gentle, get about, get abroad, get afloat, get around, get exposure, get through, getaway, give away, give out, give the ax, give the gate, give up, give way, go, go about, go bankrupt, go broke, go downhill, go forth, go into receivership, go soft, go the rounds, go to pieces, go to pot, go to ruin, go under, go up, good fortune, good luck, gorge, gradual change, grind, grind down, groom, groove, grow bright, grow light, gulch, gulf, gully, gybe, habituate, half time, half-time intermission, halt, handle, hap, happenstance, happy chance, happy hour, harden, harness, haul around, have currency, heave, heave round, heedless hap, henpeck, hesitation, hiatus, hit the skids, hitch, hole, holiday, hot circuit, house-train, housebreak, how they fall, humble, humiliate, hurt, ignore, impart, impoverish, impropriety, improve, improvement, inaugurate, incise, incision, indecorum, indeterminacy, indeterminateness, infract, infringe, initiate, injure, injury, innovate, interfere, interim, interject, interlude, intermezzo, intermission, intermit, intermittence, interpose, interregnum, interrupt, interruption, interval, intervene, intimidate, intrude, inure, irregularity, issuance, issue, jailbreak, jangle, jar, jew down, jibe, jibe all standing, joint, jostle, keep down, keep under, kick, kick upstairs, kloof, knock off, lacerate, laceration, lack, lacuna, languish, lapse, lateral circuit, law of averages, lay off, layoff, leak, leakage, leave, leg, lesion, let go, let out, letup, liberation, lick into shape, lift, light, lighten, liquidate, litter, live circuit, look-in, loop, lord it over, lot, lower, lowering, luck, lucky break, lucky strike, lull, magnetic circuit, maim, make mincemeat of, make public, make redundant, manage, mark down, markdown, master, maul, meliorate, melioration, microcircuit, milk, mismatch, mismate, miss stays, missing link, mitigate, mitigation, moat, modification, modulate, modulation, moira, mortal wound, multiple circuit, multiple series, mutate, mutilate, mutilation, naturalize, need, negate, nose dive, nose-dive, notch, nullah, nurse, nurture, object, occasion, occur, off market, off-time, offend, omission, open, open rupture, opening, opportunity, oppress, orient, orientate, oust, out, outage, outlet, overawe, overbear, overcome, overmaster, override, overthrow, overwhelm, pare, parenthesis, pass, pass on, passage, path, pauper, pauperize, pause, peak, peg out, penetrate, pension, pension off, peter out, pierce, pine, plateau, plummet, plummeting, plunge, ply, point of repose, poop out, popple, practice, prepare, press heavy on, price cut, price fall, price reduction, principle of indeterminacy, printed circuit, prisonbreak, probability, problematicness, prostrate, puncture, purge, put about, put back, put down, put in tune, put to school, puzzle out, qualification, quell, quiet spell, radical change, raise, random sample, ravine, re-creation, read out of, ready, realignment, rear, rebut, recall of ambassadors, recess, redesign, reduce, reduction, reform, reformation, refute, rehearse, relax, release, relief, remaking, remission, remove, remove from office, rend, renewal, renounce, rent, replace, repress, repudiate, rescue, reshaping, resolve, respite, rest, resting point, restructuring, retire, retreating market, reveal, reversal, revival, revive, revivification, revolution, riddance, ride down, ride over, ride roughshod over, rift, rime, rip, rise, rise and fall, risk, rive, rob, roll, round a point, rub down, ruin, run, run of luck, rupture, sack, saddle, sag, sagging market, savage, scald, scale, scape, scatter, scend, schism, scissure, scorch, scotch, scrape, scratch, scuff, scuttle, seam, season, second-degree burn, see the light, send, send to school, separate forcibly, separation, serendipity, series multiple, set at defiance, set at naught, set naught by, set up, setting-free, sever, shard, shatter, shave, sheer, shift, shiver, short, short circuit, shortage, shot, show, shut down, sink, skin, slash, slew, slice, slit, slot, slump, smash, snap, snap the thread, soft market, solecism, sore, spell, splinter, split, sprain, spread, spread about, spread like wildfire, spring a leak, squeak, stab, stab wound, stand-down, start, statistical probability, stay, stick, stop, stop for breath, strain, streak of luck, strip, strip of office, strip of rank, stroke of luck, subdue, subjugate, sudden change, superannuate, suppress, surcease, surge, surplus, suspend, suspension, swell, swerve, swing round, swing the stern, switch, tack, take a break, take a recess, take a rest, take a turn, take five, take in hand, take ten, take the plunge, take time out, tame, tea break, tear, tell, ten, tend, terrorize, the breaks, theory of probability, third-degree burn, throw about, time, time off, time out, toss, total change, train, trample down, trample on, trample underfoot, trample upon, transgress, transition, transmit, transpire, trauma, traumatize, tread down, tread underfoot, tread upon, trench, trespass, trim, truce, turn, turn aside, turn back, turn into, turn off, turn out, turn over, turn the corner, turnabout, tyrannize, tyrannize over, ullage, uncertainty, uncertainty principle, unchurch, undergo a change, undermine, undulate, unevenness, unfold, unfrock, unman, unravel, unriddle, unsaddle, unseat, unthrone, upheaval, vacation, valley, vanquish, variation, variety, vary, vector field, veer, vent, violate, violent change, void, wadi, walk all over, walk over, want, wantage, warp, water, wave, weaken, wean, wear, wear away, wear out, wear ship, wear thin, weary, weigh heavy on, whatever comes, wilt, wind, wont, worsen, worsening, wound, wounds immedicable, wrench, yaw, yield, yoke

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