English Dictionary

BREAK (broke, broken)

Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

IPA (US): 

Irregular inflected forms: broke  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation, broken  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation

 Dictionary entry overview: What does break mean? 

BREAK (noun)
  The noun BREAK has 16 senses:

1. some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activityplay

2. an unexpected piece of good luckplay

3. (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the otherplay

4. a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)play

5. a pause from doing something (as work)play

6. the act of breaking somethingplay

7. a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of somethingplay

8. breaking of hard tissue such as boneplay

9. the occurrence of breakingplay

10. an abrupt change in the tone or register of the voice (as at puberty or due to emotion)play

11. the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or poolplay

12. (tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was servingplay

13. an act of delaying or interrupting the continuityplay

14. a sudden dashplay

15. any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spareplay

16. an escape from jailplay

  Familiarity information: BREAK used as a noun is very familiar.


BREAK (verb)
  The verb BREAK has 59 senses:

1. terminateplay

2. become separated into pieces or fragmentsplay

3. render inoperable or ineffectiveplay

4. ruin completelyplay

5. destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragmentsplay

6. act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promisesplay

7. move away or escape suddenlyplay

8. scatter or partplay

9. force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent upplay

10. prevent completionplay

11. enter someone's (virtual or real) property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent actplay

12. make submissive, obedient, or usefulplay

13. fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patternsplay

14. surpass in excellenceplay

15. make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secretplay

16. come into beingplay

17. stop operating or functioningplay

18. interrupt a continued activityplay

19. make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeingplay

20. curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of wavesplay

21. lessen in force or effectplay

22. be broken inplay

23. come to an endplay

24. vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuityplay

25. cause to give up a habitplay

26. give upplay

27. come forth or begin from a state of latencyplay

28. happen or take placeplay

29. cause the failure or ruin ofplay

30. invalidate by judicial actionplay

31. discontinue an association or relation; go different waysplay

32. assign to a lower position; reduce in rankplay

33. reduce to bankruptcyplay

34. change directions suddenlyplay

35. emerge from the surface of a body of waterplay

36. break down, literally or metaphoricallyplay

37. do a break danceplay

38. exchange for smaller units of moneyplay

39. destroy the completeness of a set of related itemsplay

40. make the opening shot that scatters the ballsplay

41. separate from a clinch, in boxingplay

42. go to piecesplay

43. break a piece from a wholeplay

44. become punctured or penetratedplay

45. pierce or penetrateplay

46. be released or become known; of newsplay

47. cease an action temporarilyplay

48. interrupt the flow of current inplay

49. undergo breakingplay

50. find a flaw inplay

51. find the solution or key toplay

52. change suddenly from one tone quality or register to anotherplay

53. happenplay

54. become fractured; break or crack on the surface onlyplay

55. crack; of the male voice in pubertyplay

56. fall sharplyplay

57. fracture a bone ofplay

58. diminish or discontinue abruptlyplay

59. weaken or destroy in spirit or bodyplay

  Familiarity information: BREAK used as a verb is very familiar.


 Dictionary entry details 


BREAK (noun)


Sense 1

Meaning:

Some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

break; interruption

Context example:

there was a break in the action when a player was hurt

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "break"):

dislocation; disruption (an event that results in a displacement or discontinuity)

punctuation (something that makes repeated and regular interruptions or divisions)

abatement; hiatus; reprieve; respite; suspension (an interruption in the intensity or amount of something)

eclipse; occultation (one celestial body obscures another)

Derivation:

break (vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity)


Sense 2

Meaning:

An unexpected piece of good luck

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

break; good luck; happy chance

Context example:

he finally got his big break

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

accident; chance event; fortuity; stroke (anything that happens suddenly or by chance without an apparent cause)


Sense 3

Meaning:

(geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

break; fault; faulting; fracture; geological fault; shift

Context example:

he studied the faulting of the earth's crust

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

cleft; crack; crevice; fissure; scissure (a long narrow opening)

Meronyms (parts of "break"):

fault line ((geology) line determined by the intersection of a geological fault and the earth's surface)

Domain category:

geology (a science that deals with the history of the earth as recorded in rocks)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "break"):

inclined fault (a geological fault in which one side is above the other)

strike-slip fault (a geological fault in which one of the adjacent surfaces appears to have moved horizontally)

Instance hyponyms:

Denali Fault (a major open geological fault in Alaska)

San Andreas Fault (a major geological fault in California; runs from San Diego to San Francisco; the source of serious earthquakes)

Derivation:

break (become separated into pieces or fragments)


Sense 4

Meaning:

A personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

breach; break; falling out; rift; rupture; severance

Context example:

they hoped to avoid a break in relations

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

breakup; detachment; separation (coming apart)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "break"):

schism (the formal separation of a church into two churches or the withdrawal of one group over doctrinal differences)

Derivation:

break (discontinue an association or relation; go different ways)


Sense 5

Meaning:

A pause from doing something (as work)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

break; recess; respite; time out

Context example:

he took time out to recuperate

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

pause (temporary inactivity)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "break"):

spring break (a week or more of recess during the spring term at school)

Derivation:

break (cease an action temporarily)


Sense 6

Meaning:

The act of breaking something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

break; breakage; breaking

Context example:

the breakage was unavoidable

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

change of integrity (the act of changing the unity or wholeness of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "break"):

rupture (the act of making a sudden noisy break)

shattering; smashing (the act of breaking something into small pieces)

crack; cracking; fracture (the act of cracking something)

chip; chipping; splintering (the act of chipping something)

Derivation:

break (become separated into pieces or fragments)

break (destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments)


Sense 7

Meaning:

A time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Synonyms:

break; intermission; interruption; pause; suspension

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

interval; time interval (a definite length of time marked off by two instants)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "break"):

lapse (a break or intermission in the occurrence of something)

blackout (a suspension of radio or tv broadcasting)

caesura (a pause or interruption (as in a conversation))

dead air (an inadvertent interruption in a broadcast during which there is no sound)

delay; hold; postponement; time lag; wait (time during which some action is awaited)

halftime (an intermission between the first and second half of a game)

relief; respite; rest; rest period (a pause for relaxation)

time-out (a brief suspension of play)

letup; lull (a pause during which things are calm or activities are diminished)

Derivation:

break (interrupt a continued activity)


Sense 8

Meaning:

Breaking of hard tissue such as bone

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

break; fracture

Context example:

the break seems to have been caused by a fall

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

harm; hurt; injury; trauma (any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "break"):

comminuted fracture (fracture in which the bone is splintered or crushed)

complete fracture (break involving the entire width of the bone)

compound fracture; open fracture (bone fracture associated with lacerated soft tissue or an open wound)

compression fracture (fracture in which the bone collapses (especially in short bones such as vertebrae))

depressed fracture (fracture of the skull where the bone is pushed in)

displaced fracture (fracture in which the two ends of the broken bone are separated from one another)

fatigue fracture; stress fracture (fracture resulting from excessive activity rather than a specific injury)

capillary fracture; hairline fracture (a fracture without separation of the fragments and the line of the break being very thin)

incomplete fracture (fracture that does not go across the entire width of the bone)

impacted fracture (fracture in which one broken end is wedged into the other broken end)

closed fracture; simple fracture (an uncomplicated fracture in which the broken bones to not pierce the skin)

Derivation:

break (fracture a bone of)

break (become fractured; break or crack on the surface only)


Sense 9

Meaning:

The occurrence of breaking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Context example:

the break in the dam threatened the valley

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

breakup; detachment; separation (coming apart)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "break"):

snap (a sudden breaking)

Derivation:

break (become separated into pieces or fragments)


Sense 10

Meaning:

An abrupt change in the tone or register of the voice (as at puberty or due to emotion)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Context example:

then there was a break in her voice

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

alteration; change; modification (an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another)


Sense 11

Meaning:

The opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

shot; stroke ((sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand)

Holonyms ("break" is a part of...):

billiards (any of several games played on rectangular cloth-covered table (with cushioned edges) in which long tapering cue sticks are used to propel ivory (or composition) balls)

pocket billiards; pool (any of various games played on a pool table having 6 pockets)

Derivation:

break (make the opening shot that scatters the balls)


Sense 12

Meaning:

(tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

break; break of serve

Context example:

he was up two breaks in the second set

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

score (the act of scoring in a game or sport)

Domain category:

lawn tennis; tennis (a game played with rackets by two or four players who hit a ball back and forth over a net that divides the court)


Sense 13

Meaning:

An act of delaying or interrupting the continuity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

break; disruption; gap; interruption

Context example:

there was a gap in his account

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

delay; holdup (the act of delaying; inactivity resulting in something being put off until a later time)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "break"):

cut-in; insert ((film) a still picture that is introduced and that interrupts the action of a film)

cut-in; insert ((broadcasting) a local announcement inserted into a network program)

interjection; interpellation; interpolation; interposition (the action of interjecting or interposing an action or remark that interrupts)

abruption; breaking off (an instance of sudden interruption)

barracking; heckling (shouting to interrupt a speech with which you disagree)


Sense 14

Meaning:

A sudden dash

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

he made a break for the open door

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

dash; sprint (a quick run)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "break"):

fast break ((basketball) a rapid dash to get a shot as soon as possible after taking possession of the ball)


Sense 15

Meaning:

Any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

break; open frame

Context example:

the break in the eighth frame cost him the match

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

score (the act of scoring in a game or sport)


Sense 16

Meaning:

An escape from jail

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

break; breakout; gaolbreak; jailbreak; prison-breaking; prisonbreak

Context example:

the breakout was carefully planned

Hypernyms ("break" is a kind of...):

escape; flight (the act of escaping physically)

Derivation:

break (move away or escape suddenly)


BREAK (verb)

 Conjugation: 
Present simple: I / you / we / they break  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation ... he / she / it breaks  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Past simple: broke  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Past participle: broken  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
-ing form: breaking  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation


Sense 1

Meaning:

Terminate

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

break; interrupt

Context example:

break the cycle of poverty

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

end; terminate (bring to an end or halt)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

hold on; stop (stop and wait, as if awaiting further instructions or developments)

break off; break short; cut short (interrupt before its natural or planned end)

freeze; suspend (stop a process or a habit by imposing a freeze on it)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something


Sense 2

Meaning:

Become separated into pieces or fragments

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

break; come apart; fall apart; separate; split up

Context example:

The freshly baked loaf fell apart

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

change integrity (change in physical make-up)

Verb group:

break (destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

break open; burst; split (come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure)

puncture (be pierced or punctured)

burst; bust (break open or apart suddenly and forcefully)

smash (break suddenly into pieces, as from a violent blow)

ladder; run (come unraveled or undone as if by snagging)

crack; snap (break suddenly and abruptly, as under tension)

break up; fragment; fragmentise; fragmentize (break or cause to break into pieces)

crush (become injured, broken, or distorted by pressure)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence examples:

The wooden sticks break
These glasses break easily

Also:

break up (separate (substances) into constituent elements or parts)

Derivation:

break (the occurrence of breaking)

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)

break ((geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other)

break (the act of breaking something)


Sense 3

Meaning:

Render inoperable or ineffective

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

damage (inflict damage upon)

Verb group:

break; break down; conk out; die; fail; give out; give way; go; go bad (stop operating or functioning)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

breakage (the act of breaking something)


Sense 4

Meaning:

Ruin completely

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

break; bust

Context example:

He busted my radio!

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

destroy; ruin (destroy completely; damage irreparably)

Cause:

break; bust; fall apart; wear; wear out (go to pieces)

Verb group:

break; bust; fall apart; wear; wear out (go to pieces)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

break down (cause to fall or collapse)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Antonym:

repair (restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken)

Also:

break up (set or keep apart)

break up (take apart into its constituent pieces)

break off (break a small piece off from)

break down (make a mathematical, chemical, or grammatical analysis of; break down into components or essential features)

break apart (take apart into its constituent pieces)

Derivation:

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)

breakage (the act of breaking something)


Sense 5

Meaning:

Destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

She broke the match

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

divide; separate (make a division or separation)

Verb group:

break; come apart; fall apart; separate; split up (become separated into pieces or fragments)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

shatter (cause to break into many pieces)

fracture (break into pieces)

break in (break so as to fall inward)

dash; smash (break into pieces, as by striking or knocking over)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

The girls break the wooden sticks

Derivation:

break (the act of breaking something)

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)

breakage (the act of breaking something)

breaker (a quarry worker who splits off blocks of stone)


Sense 6

Meaning:

Act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

breach; break; go against; infract; offend; transgress; violate

Context example:

break a promise

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

disrespect (show a lack of respect for)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

sin; transgress; trespass (commit a sin; violate a law of God or a moral law)

blunder; boob; drop the ball; goof; sin (commit a faux pas or a fault or make a serious mistake)

conflict; contravene; infringe; run afoul (go against, as of rules and laws)

trespass (break the law)

intrude; trespass (enter unlawfully on someone's property)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Antonym:

keep (conform one's action or practice to)


Sense 7

Meaning:

Move away or escape suddenly

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

break; break away; break out

Context example:

Nobody can break out--this prison is high security

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

break loose; escape; get away (run away from confinement)

Verb group:

break (make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

break (an escape from jail)


Sense 8

Meaning:

Scatter or part

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The clouds broke after the heavy downpour

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

disperse; dissipate; scatter; spread out (move away from each other)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s


Sense 9

Meaning:

Force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

break; burst; erupt

Context example:

erupt in anger

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

express emotion; express feelings (give verbal or other expression to one's feelings)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP


Sense 10

Meaning:

Prevent completion

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

break; break off; discontinue; stop

Context example:

break off the negotiations

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

end; terminate (bring to an end or halt)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

fracture (become fractured)

bog; bog down (get stuck while doing something)

break up; cut off; disrupt; interrupt (make a break in)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something


Sense 11

Meaning:

Enter someone's (virtual or real) property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

break; break in

Context example:

who broke into my account last night?

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

intrude; trespass (enter unlawfully on someone's property)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

crack (gain unauthorized access computers with malicious intentions)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP


Sense 12

Meaning:

Make submissive, obedient, or useful

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

break; break in

Context example:

I broke in the new intern

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

domesticate; domesticise; domesticize; reclaim; tame (overcome the wildness of; make docile and tractable)

Cause:

break (be broken in)

Verb group:

break (be broken in)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody


Sense 13

Meaning:

Fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

break; go against; violate

Context example:

This sentence violates the rules of syntax

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

fly in the face of; fly in the teeth of (go against)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something


Sense 14

Meaning:

Surpass in excellence

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

better; break

Context example:

break a record

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

exceed; outdo; outgo; outmatch; outperform; outstrip; surmount; surpass (be or do something to a greater degree)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something


Sense 15

Meaning:

Make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

break; bring out; disclose; discover; divulge; expose; give away; let on; let out; reveal; uncover; unwrap

Context example:

The newspaper uncovered the President's illegal dealings

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

tell (let something be known)

Cause:

break; get around; get out (be released or become known; of news)

Verb group:

break; get around; get out (be released or become known; of news)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

blackwash (bring (information) out of concealment)

muckrake (explore and expose misconduct and scandals concerning public figures)

blow (cause to be revealed and jeopardized)

out (reveal (something) about somebody's identity or lifestyle)

come out; come out of the closet; out (to state openly and publicly one's homosexuality)

spring (produce or disclose suddenly or unexpectedly)

betray; bewray (reveal unintentionally)

confide (reveal in private; tell confidentially)

leak (tell anonymously)

babble; babble out; blab; blab out; let the cat out of the bag; peach; sing; spill the beans; talk; tattle (divulge confidential information or secrets)

reveal (disclose directly or through prophets)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE


Sense 16

Meaning:

Come into being

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

Voices broke in the air

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

become; get; go (enter or assume a certain state or condition)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s


Sense 17

Meaning:

Stop operating or functioning

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

break; break down; conk out; die; fail; give out; give way; go; go bad

Context example:

her eyesight went after the accident

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Verb group:

break (render inoperable or ineffective)

buy the farm; cash in one's chips; choke; conk; croak; decease; die; drop dead; exit; expire; give-up the ghost; go; kick the bucket; pass; pass away; perish; pop off; snuff it (pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

crash; go down (stop operating)

blow; blow out; burn out (melt, break, or become otherwise unusable)

misfire (fail to fire or detonate)

malfunction; misfunction (fail to function or function improperly)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence example:

These cars won't break

Derivation:

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)


Sense 18

Meaning:

Interrupt a continued activity

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

break; break away

Context example:

She had broken with the traditional patterns

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

break; break up; part; separate; split; split up (discontinue an association or relation; go different ways)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

break (a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something)


Sense 19

Meaning:

Make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The ranks broke

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

flee; fly; take flight (run away quickly)

Verb group:

break; break away; break out (move away or escape suddenly)

Domain category:

armed forces; armed services; military; military machine; war machine (the military forces of a nation)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s


Sense 20

Meaning:

Curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The surf broke

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

break; cave in; collapse; fall in; founder; give; give way (break down, literally or metaphorically)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

breaker (waves breaking on the shore)


Sense 21

Meaning:

Lessen in force or effect

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

break; damp; dampen; soften; weaken

Context example:

break a fall

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

blunt; deaden (make less lively, intense, or vigorous; impair in vigor, force, activity, or sensation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

deafen (make soundproof)

damp; dampen; deaden (make vague or obscure or make (an image) less visible)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something


Sense 22

Meaning:

Be broken in

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Verb group:

break; break in (make submissive, obedient, or useful)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s


Sense 23

Meaning:

Come to an end

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

The heat wave finally broke yesterday

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

cease; end; finish; stop; terminate (have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s


Sense 24

Meaning:

Vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

The flat plain was broken by tall mesas

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

alter; change; vary (become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

break (some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity)


Sense 25

Meaning:

Cause to give up a habit

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

She finally broke herself of smoking cigarettes

Cause:

break (give up)

Verb group:

break (give up)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody


Sense 26

Meaning:

Give up

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

break cigarette smoking

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

cease; discontinue; give up; lay off; quit; stop (put an end to a state or an activity)

Verb group:

break (cause to give up a habit)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something


Sense 27

Meaning:

Come forth or begin from a state of latency

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

The first winter storm broke over New York

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

come forth; emerge (happen or occur as a result of something)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP


Sense 28

Meaning:

Happen or take place

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

come about; fall out; go on; hap; happen; occur; pass; pass off; take place (come to pass)

Domain usage:

colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s


Sense 29

Meaning:

Cause the failure or ruin of

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

This play will either make or break the playwright

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

ruin (destroy or cause to fail)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Antonym:

make (assure the success of)


Sense 30

Meaning:

Invalidate by judicial action

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

The will was broken

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

annul; avoid; invalidate; nullify; quash; void (declare invalid)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something


Sense 31

Meaning:

Discontinue an association or relation; go different ways

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

break; break up; part; separate; split; split up

Context example:

My friend and I split up

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

give the axe; give the bounce; give the gate (terminate a relationship abruptly)

break apart; disunify (break up or separate)

disassociate; disjoint; dissociate; disunite; divorce (part; cease or break association with)

break with (end a relationship)

divorce; split up (get a divorce; formally terminate a marriage)

break away; secede; splinter (withdraw from an organization or communion)

break; break away (interrupt a continued activity)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

break (a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions))


Sense 32

Meaning:

Assign to a lower position; reduce in rank

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

break; bump; demote; kick downstairs; relegate

Context example:

He was broken down to Sergeant

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

assign; delegate; depute; designate (give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

sideline (remove from the center of activity or attention; place into an inferior position)

reduce (bring to humbler or weaker state or condition)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s something PP


Sense 33

Meaning:

Reduce to bankruptcy

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

bankrupt; break; ruin; smash

Context example:

The slump in the financial markets smashed him

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

impoverish (make poor)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody


Sense 34

Meaning:

Change directions suddenly

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

change; shift; switch (lay aside, abandon, or leave for another)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s


Sense 35

Meaning:

Emerge from the surface of a body of water

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The whales broke

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

appear (come into sight or view)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s


Sense 36

Meaning:

Break down, literally or metaphorically

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

break; cave in; collapse; fall in; founder; give; give way

Context example:

The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Verb group:

abandon; give up (stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas or claims)

burst; collapse (cause to burst)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

go off; implode (burst inward)

buckle; crumple (fold or collapse)

flop (fall loosely)

break (curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves)

sink; slide down; slump (fall or sink heavily)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s


Sense 37

Meaning:

Do a break dance

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

break; break-dance; break dance

Context example:

Kids were break-dancing at the street corner

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

dance; trip the light fantastic; trip the light fantastic toe (move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or perform a dance)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue break


Sense 38

Meaning:

Exchange for smaller units of money

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

change; commute; convert; exchange (exchange or replace with another, usually of the same kind or category)

Verb group:

break; break up (destroy the completeness of a set of related items)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something


Sense 39

Meaning:

Destroy the completeness of a set of related items

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

break; break up

Context example:

The book dealer would not break the set

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Verb group:

break (exchange for smaller units of money)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)


Sense 40

Meaning:

Make the opening shot that scatters the balls

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

shoot (throw or propel in a specific direction or towards a specific objective)

Domain category:

billiards (any of several games played on rectangular cloth-covered table (with cushioned edges) in which long tapering cue sticks are used to propel ivory (or composition) balls)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

break (the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool)


Sense 41

Meaning:

Separate from a clinch, in boxing

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The referee broke the boxers

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

disunite; divide; part; separate (force, take, or pull apart)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody


Sense 42

Meaning:

Go to pieces

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

break; bust; fall apart; wear; wear out

Context example:

The old chair finally fell apart completely

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

crumble; decay; dilapidate (fall into decay or ruin)

Verb group:

break; bust (ruin completely)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

fray; frazzle (wear away by rubbing)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Also:

break apart (break violently or noisily; smash)

break away; break off (break off (a piece from a whole))

break up (break violently or noisily; smash)

Derivation:

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)


Sense 43

Meaning:

Break a piece from a whole

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

break; break off; snap off

Context example:

break a branch from a tree

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

detach (cause to become detached or separated; take off)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)

breakage (the act of breaking something)

breaker (a quarry worker who splits off blocks of stone)


Sense 44

Meaning:

Become punctured or penetrated

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The skin broke

Verb group:

break (pierce or penetrate)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s


Sense 45

Meaning:

Pierce or penetrate

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The blade broke her skin

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

penetrate; perforate (pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance)

Verb group:

break (become punctured or penetrated)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something


Sense 46

Meaning:

Be released or become known; of news

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

break; get around; get out

Context example:

News of her death broke in the morning

Verb group:

break; bring out; disclose; discover; divulge; expose; give away; let on; let out; reveal; uncover; unwrap (make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

leak; leak out (be leaked)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s


Sense 47

Meaning:

Cease an action temporarily

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

break; intermit; pause

Context example:

let's break for lunch

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

break up; cut off; disrupt; interrupt (make a break in)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

breathe; catch one's breath; rest; take a breather (take a short break from one's activities in order to relax)

take five (take a break for five minutes)

take ten (take a ten minute break)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

break (a pause from doing something (as work))


Sense 48

Meaning:

Interrupt the flow of current in

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

break a circuit

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

break up; cut off; disrupt; interrupt (make a break in)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

breaker (a device that trips like a switch and opens the circuit when overloaded)


Sense 49

Meaning:

Undergo breaking

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

The simple vowels broke in many Germanic languages

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

diphthongise; diphthongize (change from a simple vowel to a diphthong)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s


Sense 50

Meaning:

Find a flaw in

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

break down a proof

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

destroy; ruin (destroy completely; damage irreparably)

Verb group:

break (find the solution or key to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something


Sense 51

Meaning:

Find the solution or key to

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

break the code

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

figure out; lick; puzzle out; solve; work; work out (find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of)

Verb group:

break (find a flaw in)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something


Sense 52

Meaning:

Change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

Her voice broke to a whisper when she started to talk about her children

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

change; shift; switch (lay aside, abandon, or leave for another)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s


Sense 53

Meaning:

Happen

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

break; develop; recrudesce

Context example:

These political movements recrudesce from time to time

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

come about; fall out; go on; hap; happen; occur; pass; pass off; take place (come to pass)

Verb group:

develop (be gradually disclosed or unfolded; become manifest)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Also:

break out (start abruptly)

break through (penetrate)


Sense 54

Meaning:

Become fractured; break or crack on the surface only

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

break; check; crack

Context example:

The glass cracked when it was heated

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Verb group:

check; chink (make cracks or chinks in)

crack (cause to become cracked)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "break"):

crack (break partially but keep its integrity)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

break (breaking of hard tissue such as bone)

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)


Sense 55

Meaning:

Crack; of the male voice in puberty

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

his voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s


Sense 56

Meaning:

Fall sharply

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

stock prices broke

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

decrease; diminish; fall; lessen (decrease in size, extent, or range)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence example:

The stock market is going to break


Sense 57

Meaning:

Fracture a bone of

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

break; fracture

Context example:

I broke my foot while playing hockey

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

injure; wound (cause injuries or bodily harm to)

Verb group:

fracture (break (a bone))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

Did he break his foot?

Derivation:

break (breaking of hard tissue such as bone)


Sense 58

Meaning:

Diminish or discontinue abruptly

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

The patient's fever broke last night

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

decrease; diminish; fall; lessen (decrease in size, extent, or range)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s


Sense 59

Meaning:

Weaken or destroy in spirit or body

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

a man broken by the terrible experience of near-death

Hypernyms (to "break" is one way to...):

weaken (lessen the strength of)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody


 Context examples 


Then he tried, as an experiment, a short story, and before he broke his stride he had finished six short stories and despatched them to various magazines.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He may have met him there, may even have helped him to break in the door, and then they may have fallen out between themselves.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Such a fact must tell against the theory that the man who breaks them is influenced by any general hatred of Napoleon.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The whist party soon afterwards breaking up, the players gathered round the other table and Mr. Collins took his station between his cousin Elizabeth and Mrs. Phillips.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Many people will be pressuring you to rush work out the door, but remember to take tiny breaks and go to sleep a half-hour earlier each night.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

The straw, however, began to burn, broke in two pieces, and fell into the stream.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

He has broken himself so often that he is mended in a hundred places, and doesn't look at all pretty.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

I slept well, and as I conjectured at least six hours, for I found the day broke in two hours after I awaked.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

His was a broken, jerky utterance, caused by the violence with which he hammered his numb hand upon the wood.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

They had no chance to make a break for liberty in one of the boats.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)



 Learn English with... Proverbs 
"Money talks." (English proverb)

"Many people, bad assistance" (Breton proverb)

"The person who pours water to other is the last one to drink." (Arabic proverb)

"He who protects himself from cold also wards off heat." (Corsican proverb)



ALSO IN ENGLISH DICTIONARY:


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