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 ]
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'
the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool
(tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving; he was up two breaks in the second set
[ Syn: break of serve ]
an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity; it was presented without commercial breaks; there was a gap in his account
[ Syn: interruption , disruption , gap ]
a sudden dash; he made a break for the open door'
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 ]
an escape from jail; the breakout was carefully planned
[ Syn: breakout , jailbreak , gaolbreak , prisonbreak , prison-breaking ]
an unexpected piece of good luck; he finally got his big break
[ Syn: good luck , happy chance ]
(geology) a crack in the earths 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 earths crust
[ Syn: fault , faulting , geological fault , shift , fracture ]
a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions); they hoped to avoid a break in relations
[ Syn: rupture , breach , severance , rift , falling out ]
a pause from doing something (as work); we took a 10-minute break; he took time out to recuperate
the act of breaking something; the breakage was unavoidable
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
[ Syn: pause , intermission , interruption , suspension ]
breaking of hard tissue such as bone; it was a nasty fracture; the break seems to have been caused by a fall
[ Syn: fracture ]
the occurrence of breaking; the break in the dam threatened the valley'
break (n.)
terminate; She interrupted her pregnancy; break a lucky streak; break the cycle of poverty
[ Syn: interrupt ]
prevent completion; stop the project; break off the negotiations
[ Syn: break off , discontinue , stop ]
enter someones (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 ]
make submissive, obedient, or useful; The horse was tough to break; I broke in the new intern
[ Syn: break in ]
fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns; This sentence violates the rules of syntax
[ Syn: violate , go against ]
surpass in excellence; She bettered her own record; break a record
[ Syn: better ]
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 wont 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 , give away , let out ]
come into being; light broke over the horizon; Voices broke in the air'
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 down ]
interrupt a continued activity; She had broken with the traditional patterns
[ Syn: break away ]
make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing; The ranks broke'
become separated into pieces or fragments; The figurine broke; The freshly baked loaf fell apart
[ Syn: separate , split up , fall apart , come apart ]
curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves; The surf broke'
lessen in force or effect; soften a shock; break a fall
be broken in; If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress'
come to an end; The heat wave finally broke yesterday'
vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity; The flat plain was broken by tall mesas'
cause to give up a habit; She finally broke herself of smoking cigarettes'
give up; break cigarette smoking'
come forth or begin from a state of latency; The first winter storm broke over New York'
happen or take place; Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months'
cause the failure or ruin of; His peccadilloes finally broke his marriage; This play will either make or break the playwright'
render inoperable or ineffective; You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!'
invalidate by judicial action; The will was broken'
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
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 , kick downstairs ]
reduce to bankruptcy; My daughters fancy wedding is going to break me!; The slump in the financial markets smashed him
change directions suddenly
emerge from the surface of a body of water; The whales broke'
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 , founder ]
do a break dance; Kids were break-dancing at the street corner
[ Syn: break dance , break-dance ]
exchange for smaller units of money; I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy'
destroy the completeness of a set of related items; The book dealer would not break the set
[ Syn: break up ]
ruin completely; He busted my radio!
[ Syn: bust ]
make the opening shot that scatters the balls
separate from a clinch, in boxing; The referee broke the boxers'
go to pieces; The lawn mower finally broke; The gears wore out; The old chair finally fell apart completely
[ Syn: wear , wear out , bust , fall apart ]
break a piece from a whole; break a branch from a tree
become punctured or penetrated; The skin broke'
pierce or penetrate; The blade broke her skin'
be released or become known; of news; News of her death broke in the morning
[ Syn: get out , get around ]
cease an action temporarily; We pause for station identification; lets break for lunch
interrupt the flow of current in; break a circuit'
undergo breaking; The simple vowels broke in many Germanic languages'
destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments; He broke the glass plate; She broke the match'
find a flaw in; break an alibi; break down a proof'
find the solution or key to; break the code'
change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another; Her voice broke to a whisper when she started to talk about her children'
happen; Report the news as it develops; These political movements recrudesce from time to time
[ Syn: recrudesce , develop ]
become fractured; break or crack on the surface only; The glass cracked when it was heated
crack; of the male voice in puberty; his voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir'
fall sharply; stock prices broke'
fracture a bone of; I broke my foot while playing hockey
[ Syn: fracture ]
diminish or discontinue abruptly; The patient's fever broke last night'
weaken or destroy in spirit or body; His resistance was broken; a man broken by the terrible experience of near-death'
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 ]
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 out , break away ]
scatter or part; The clouds broke after the heavy downpour'
force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up; break into tears; erupt in anger