Associations to the word «Break»

BREAK, verb. (transitive) (intransitive) To separate into two or more pieces, to fracture or crack, by a process that cannot easily be reversed for reassembly.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) (intransitive) To crack or fracture (bone) under a physical strain.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) (US) To divide (something, often money) into smaller units.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) To cause (a person) to lose his or her spirit or will; to crush the spirits of; to ruin (a person) emotionally.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) To be crushed, or overwhelmed with sorrow or grief.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) To cause (a person or animal) to lose its will.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) To interrupt; to destroy the continuity of; to dissolve or terminate.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) To ruin financially.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) To violate, to not adhere to.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) (of a fever) To pass the most dangerous part of the illness; to go down, temperaturewise.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) (gaming slang) To design or use a powerful (yet legal) strategy that unbalances the game in a player's favor.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) (intransitive) To stop, or to cause to stop, functioning properly or altogether.

BREAK, verb. (specifically) (in programming) To cause (some feature of a program or piece of software) to stop functioning properly; to cause a regression.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) To cause (a barrier) to no longer bar.

BREAK, verb. (specifically) To cause the shell of (an egg) to crack, so that the inside (yolk) is accessible.

BREAK, verb. (specifically) To open (a safe) without using the correct key, combination, or the like.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) (of a wave of water) To collapse into surf, after arriving in shallow water.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) (of a storm or spell of weather) To end.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) To burst forth; to make its way; to come into view.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) To interrupt or cease one's work or occupation temporarily.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) To interrupt (a fall) by inserting something so that the falling object not hit something else beneath.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) (ergative) To disclose or make known an item of news, etc.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) (of morning) To arrive.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) (of a sound) To become audible suddenly.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) To change a steady state abruptly.

BREAK, verb. (copulative) (informal) To suddenly become.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) Of a voice, to alter in type: in men generally to go up, in women sometimes to go down; to crack.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) To surpass or do better than (a specific number), to do better than (a record), setting a new record.

BREAK, verb. (sports and games):

BREAK, verb. (transitive) (tennis) To win a game (against one's opponent) as receiver.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) (billiards) (snooker) (pool) To make the first shot; to scatter the balls from the initial neat arrangement.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) (backgammon) To remove one of the two men on (a point).

BREAK, verb. (transitive) (military) (most often in the passive tense) To demote, to reduce the military rank of.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) To end (a connection), to disconnect.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) (of an emulsion) To demulsify.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) (sports) To counter-attack

BREAK, verb. (transitive) (obsolete) To lay open, as a purpose; to disclose, divulge, or communicate.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) To become weakened in constitution or faculties; to lose health or strength.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) (obsolete) To fail in business; to become bankrupt.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) To destroy the arrangement of; to throw into disorder; to pierce.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) To destroy the strength, firmness, or consistency of.

BREAK, verb. (transitive) To destroy the official character and standing of; to cashier; to dismiss.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) To make an abrupt or sudden change; to change the gait.

BREAK, verb. (intransitive) (archaic) To fall out; to terminate friendship.

BREAK, noun. An instance of breaking something into two pieces.

BREAK, noun. A physical space that opens up in something or between two things.

BREAK, noun. (music) A short section of music, often between verses, in which some performers stop while others continue.

BREAK, noun. A rest or pause, usually from work; a breaktime.

BREAK, noun. A temporary split (with a romantic partner).

BREAK, noun. An interval or intermission between two parts of a performance, for example a theatre show, broadcast, or sports game.

BREAK, noun. A significant change in circumstance, attitude, perception, or focus of attention: big break, lucky break, bad break.

BREAK, noun. (British) (weather) a change; the end of a spell of persistent good or bad weather

BREAK, noun. The beginning (of the morning).

BREAK, noun. An act of escaping.

BREAK, noun. (surfing) A place where waves break (that is, where waves pitch or spill forward creating white water).

BREAK, noun. (sports and games):

BREAK, noun. (tennis) A game won by the receiving player(s).

BREAK, noun. (billiards) (snooker) (pool) The first shot in a game of billiards

BREAK, noun. (snooker) The number of points scored by one player in one visit to the table

BREAK, noun. (soccer) The counter-attack

BREAK, noun. (dated) A large four-wheeled carriage, having a straight body and calash top, with the driver's seat in front and the footman's behind.

BREAK, noun. A sharp bit or snaffle.

BREAK, noun. A short holiday

BREAK, noun. (music) A section of extended repetition of the percussion break to a song, created by a hip-hop DJ as rhythmic dance music.

BREAK A LAW, verb. (idiomatic) To violate a law.

BREAK A LEG, verb. (idiomatic) To perform well in a theatrical production or comparable endeavor.

BREAK A SWEAT, verb. To start sweating.

BREAK A SWEAT, verb. (idiomatic) To put effort into something.

BREAK AWAY, verb. To leave suddenly

BREAK AWAY, verb. To become separated, literally or figuratively

BREAK BAD, verb. (colloquial) (of an event or of one's fortunes) To go wrong; to go downhill.

BREAK BAD, verb. (colloquial) (especially Southern US and Midwest US) (of a person) To go bad; to turn toward immorality or crime.

BREAK BREAD, verb. To eat a meal, especially to eat a shared meal with friends.

BREAK BREAD, verb. (Christianity) To take part in Holy Communion.

BREAK BULK, verb. To remove one or more items from the packaging, container, vehicle, or vessel in which shipped with other items.

BREAK COVER, verb. Used other than as an idiom. to come out of hiding; to become visible.

BREAK COVER, verb. (idiomatic, by extension) to disclose one's real thoughts and intentions.

BREAK DANCE, noun. Alternative spelling of breakdance

BREAK DANCING, noun. Alternative spelling of breakdancing

BREAK DOWN, noun. Alternative form of breakdown

BREAK DOWN, verb. (intransitive) To fail, to cease to function.

BREAK DOWN, verb. (ergative) (figuratively) To render or to become unstable due to stress, to collapse physically or mentally.

BREAK DOWN, verb. (ergative) (figuratively) To render or to become weak and ineffective.

BREAK DOWN, verb. (ergative) To (cause to) decay, to decompose.

BREAK DOWN, verb. (ergative) (figuratively) to divide into parts to give more details, to provide a more indepth analysis of.

BREAK DOWN, verb. (ergative) To digest.

BREAK EVEN, verb. (idiomatic) To neither gain nor lose money.

BREAK EVEN, verb. (idiomatic) To stay the same; to neither advance nor regress.

BREAK FAST, noun. Alternative form of breakfast

BREAK FREE, verb. To liberate oneself; to free oneself.

BREAK GATES, verb. (UK) (universities) (dated) To enter a college enclosure after the hour to which a student has been restricted.

BREAK GROUND, verb. (literally) To begin digging in the earth at the start of a new construction, or, originally, for cultivation.

BREAK GROUND, verb. (idiomatic) To initiate a new venture, or to advance beyond previous achievements.

BREAK GROUND, verb. (nautical) (of an anchor) To lift off the sea bottom when being weighed.

BREAK IN, verb. (intransitive) To enter a place by force or illicit means.

BREAK IN, verb. (transitive) (idiomatic) To cause (something, or someone, new) to function more naturally through use or wear

BREAK IN, verb. (transitive) (of a horse) To tame; make obedient; to train to follow orders of the owner.

BREAK INTO, verb. (transitive) (idiomatic) To enter illegally or by force, especially in order to commit a crime.

BREAK INTO, verb. (transitive) (idiomatic) To open or begin to use.

BREAK INTO, verb. (transitive) (idiomatic) To successfully enter a profession or business.

BREAK INTO, verb. (transitive) To begin suddenly.

BREAK IT DOWN, verb. (US) (slang) To dance, especially in a hip hop style.

BREAK LOOSE, verb. To escape, to free oneself.

BREAK NEW GROUND, verb. (literally) To begin excavating and levelling earth for a new building, or, originally, for cultivation.

BREAK NEW GROUND, verb. (idiomatic) By extension, to initiate a new venture, especially something never before attempted.

BREAK NO SQUARES, verb. (obsolete) To do no harm; to make no difference.

BREAK OF DAWN, noun. Daybreak.

BREAK OF DAY, noun. Daybreak.

BREAK OFF, verb. To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently.

BREAK OFF, verb. To remove a piece from a whole by breaking or snapping

BREAK OFF, verb. (billiards) (snooker) Alternative form of break-off

BREAK ON THE WHEEL, verb. (transitive) To fasten (a criminal etc.) to a wheel in order to break his limbs or beat him to death.

BREAK ONE OFF, verb. (baseball) (slang) (1800s) To throw a curve ball.

BREAK ONE'S BALLS, verb. (slang) (vulgar) Alternative form of bust one's balls

BREAK ONE'S DUCK, verb. (cricket) To score one's first run in an innings

BREAK ONE'S DUCK, verb. (idiomatic) (British) (by extension) To do something for the first time.

BREAK ONE'S FALL, verb. Provide alleviation to prevent someone from slamming into the ground at full speed.

BREAK ONE'S FAST, verb. (dated) To eat breakfast; to eat the first meal of the day after a night of not eating or to conclude any period of fasting by consuming food.

BREAK ONE'S LANCE, verb. (idiomatic) To engage in an honorable fight.

BREAK OUT, verb. (intransitive) To escape, especially forcefully or defiantly.

BREAK OUT, verb. (transitive) (idiomatic) to bring out, use, or present

BREAK OUT, verb. (transitive) To separate from a bundle.

BREAK OUT, verb. (transitive) To take or force out by breaking.

BREAK OUT, verb. (intransitive) To begin suddenly; to emerge in a certain condition.

BREAK OUT, verb. (intransitive) To suddenly get pimples, especially on one's face.

BREAK POINT, noun. (tennis) A situation in which if the receiver wins the next point, (s)he will win the game (but not the set or match).

BREAK POINTS, noun. Plural of break point

BREAK RANKS, verb. (military) To march or charge out of the designated order in a military unit.

BREAK RANKS, verb. (idiomatic) To publicly disagree with one's own group or organization.

BREAK ROOM, noun. A room at a business which is set aside for coffee breaks, snacks, lunches, etc.; also called lunchroom

BREAK ROOMS, noun. Plural of break room

BREAK SHEER, verb. (nautical) To deviate from sheer, and risk fouling the anchor.

BREAK SILENCE, verb. To breach a norm against communication or against communicating a specific type of information.

BREAK SOMEONE'S BALLS, verb. (slang) (vulgar) to seriously irritate or nag someone.

BREAK SOMEONE'S BALLS, verb. (slang) (vulgar) to tease or ridicule someone; to take the piss out of someone.

BREAK SOMEONE'S HEART, verb. (idiomatic) To cause a person to feel grief or sadness.

BREAK STRIDE, verb. To cease walking or running at the same gait, especially with result of interrupting one's forward momentum.

BREAK THE BACK OF, verb. (idiomatic) To achieve the greater part of some project.

BREAK THE BANK, verb. (intransitive) (at a casino etc) To win more money than is available to be paid.

BREAK THE BANK, verb. (intransitive) (idiomatic) To exhaust one's financial resources.

BREAK THE BUCK, verb. (US) (idiomatic) (finance) (of a money-market fund) Fall below the value of one dollar per share.

BREAK THE CYCLE, verb. Used other than as an idiom: see break,‎ cycle.

BREAK THE CYCLE, verb. To act so as to end a repeating pattern of harmful or otherwise negative behavior.

BREAK THE DEADLOCK, verb. (idiomatic) (sports) To score the first goal or point in a competition

BREAK THE FOURTH WALL, verb. (idiomatic) (of fiction) To apparently communicate with reality directly, such as when characters of literature comment on the existence of a reader.

BREAK THE ICE, verb. Used other than as an idiom: see break,‎ the,‎ ice.

BREAK THE ICE, verb. (idiomatic) To start to get to know people to avoid social awkwardness and formality.

BREAK THE ICE, verb. (idiomatic) To introduce conversation.

BREAK THE ICE, verb. To surmount initial difficulties; to overcome obstacles and make a beginning.

BREAK THE MOLD, verb. (idiomatic) To depart from a traditional pattern; to defy convention.

BREAK THE MOLD, verb. (idiomatic) To make it impossible for an identical copy to be made.

BREAK THE MOULD, verb. Alternative spelling of break the mold

BREAK THE NEWS, verb. To inform someone of something first, usually used when it will be difficult to tell the person.

BREAK THE SABBATH, verb. (idiomatic) To violate the holiness or sanctity of the Sabbath by not keeping it holy.

BREAK THE SEAL, verb. (idiomatic) When consuming alcohol, to urinate for the first time, which leads to needing to urinate more and more often.

BREAK THE SILENCE, verb. To start talking in a conversation after a period where nobody speaks.

BREAK THE SILENCE, verb. To state an opinion on a subject that has been taboo for a period of time.

BREAK THROUGH, verb. Used other than as an idiom: see break,‎ through.

BREAK THROUGH, verb. (intransitive) To gain popularity.

BREAK THROUGH, verb. (intransitive) (sports) To penetrate the defence of the opposition.

BREAK UP, verb. (intransitive) To break or separate into pieces; to disintegrate or come apart.

BREAK UP, verb. (intransitive) (idiomatic) To end a relationship.

BREAK UP, verb. (intransitive) (idiomatic) To dissolve; to part.

BREAK UP, verb. (intransitive) (idiomatic) Of a school, to close for the holidays at the end of term.

BREAK UP, verb. (intransitive) (idiomatic) Of a telephone conversation, to cease to be understandable because of a bad connection.

BREAK UP, verb. (transitive) To break or separate into pieces.

BREAK UP, verb. (transitive) (idiomatic) To stop a fight; to separate people who are fighting.

BREAK UP, verb. (intransitive) (idiomatic) (figuratively) Become disorganised

BREAK WATER, verb. To rise up partially out of the water when swimming underwater

BREAK WIND, verb. (idiomatic) (euphemistic) To expel gases generated during digestion, especially through the anus; to fart or flatulate.

BREAK WITH, verb. Used other than as an idiom: see break,‎ with.

BREAK WITH, verb. To cease having a positive connection with (a person, group, movement, etc).

BREAK WITH, verb. (archaic) To divulge one's secrets, thoughts or intentions, to discuss something with somebody.

BREAK, noun. 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".

BREAK, noun. An unexpected piece of good luck; "he finally got his big break".

BREAK, noun. (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".

BREAK, noun. A personal or social separation (as between opposing factions); "they hoped to avoid a break in relations".

BREAK, noun. A pause from doing something (as work); "we took a 10-minute break"; "he took time out to recuperate".

BREAK, noun. The act of breaking something; "the breakage was unavoidable".

BREAK, noun. A time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something.

BREAK, noun. Breaking of hard tissue such as bone; "it was a nasty fracture"; "the break seems to have been caused by a fall".

BREAK, noun. The occurrence of breaking; "the break in the dam threatened the valley".

BREAK, noun. 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".

BREAK, noun. The opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool.

BREAK, noun. (tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving; "he was up two breaks in the second set".

BREAK, noun. An act of delaying or interrupting the continuity; "it was presented without commercial breaks"; "there was a gap in his account".

BREAK, noun. A sudden dash; "he made a break for the open door".

BREAK, noun. Any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare; "the break in the eighth frame cost him the match".

BREAK, noun. An escape from jail; "the breakout was carefully planned".

BREAK, verb. Terminate; "She interrupted her pregnancy"; "break a lucky streak"; "break the cycle of poverty".

BREAK, verb. Become separated into pieces or fragments; "The figurine broke"; "The freshly baked loaf fell apart".

BREAK, verb. Render inoperable or ineffective; "You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!".

BREAK, verb. Ruin completely; "He busted my radio!".

BREAK, verb. Destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments; "He broke the glass plate"; "She broke the match".

BREAK, verb. 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".

BREAK, verb. Move away or escape suddenly; "The horses broke from the stable"; "Three inmates broke jail"; "Nobody can break out--this prison is high security".

BREAK, verb. Scatter or part; "The clouds broke after the heavy downpour".

BREAK, verb. Force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up; "break into tears"; "erupt in anger".

BREAK, verb. Prevent completion; "stop the project"; "break off the negotiations".

BREAK, verb. 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?".

BREAK, verb. Make submissive, obedient, or useful; "The horse was tough to break"; "I broke in the new intern".

BREAK, verb. Fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns; "This sentence violates the rules of syntax".

BREAK, verb. Surpass in excellence; "She bettered her own record"; "break a record".

BREAK, verb. 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".

BREAK, verb. Come into being; "light broke over the horizon"; "Voices broke in the air".

BREAK, verb. 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".

BREAK, verb. Interrupt a continued activity; "She had broken with the traditional patterns".

BREAK, verb. Make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing; "The ranks broke".

BREAK, verb. Curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves; "The surf broke".

BREAK, verb. Lessen in force or effect; "soften a shock"; "break a fall".

BREAK, verb. Be broken in; "If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress".

BREAK, verb. Come to an end; "The heat wave finally broke yesterday".

BREAK, verb. Vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity; "The flat plain was broken by tall mesas".

BREAK, verb. Cause to give up a habit; "She finally broke herself of smoking cigarettes".

BREAK, verb. Give up; "break cigarette smoking".

BREAK, verb. Come forth or begin from a state of latency; "The first winter storm broke over New York".

BREAK, verb. Happen or take place; "Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months".

BREAK, verb. Cause the failure or ruin of; "His peccadilloes finally broke his marriage"; "This play will either make or break the playwright".

BREAK, verb. Invalidate by judicial action; "The will was broken".

BREAK, verb. 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".

BREAK, verb. Assign to a lower position; reduce in rank; "She was demoted because she always speaks up"; "He was broken down to Sergeant".

BREAK, verb. Reduce to bankruptcy; "My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!"; "The slump in the financial markets smashed him".

BREAK, verb. Change directions suddenly.

BREAK, verb. Emerge from the surface of a body of water; "The whales broke".

BREAK, verb. 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".

BREAK, verb. Do a break dance; "Kids were break-dancing at the street corner".

BREAK, verb. Exchange for smaller units of money; "I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy".

BREAK, verb. Destroy the completeness of a set of related items; "The book dealer would not break the set".

BREAK, verb. Make the opening shot that scatters the balls.

BREAK, verb. Separate from a clinch, in boxing; "The referee broke the boxers".

BREAK, verb. Go to pieces; "The lawn mower finally broke"; "The gears wore out"; "The old chair finally fell apart completely".

BREAK, verb. Break a piece from a whole; "break a branch from a tree".

BREAK, verb. Become punctured or penetrated; "The skin broke".

BREAK, verb. Pierce or penetrate; "The blade broke her skin".

BREAK, verb. Be released or become known; of news; "News of her death broke in the morning".

BREAK, verb. Cease an action temporarily; "We pause for station identification"; "let's break for lunch".

BREAK, verb. Interrupt the flow of current in; "break a circuit".

BREAK, verb. Undergo breaking; "The simple vowels broke in many Germanic languages".

BREAK, verb. Find a flaw in; "break an alibi"; "break down a proof".

BREAK, verb. Find the solution or key to; "break the code".

BREAK, verb. Change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another; "Her voice broke to a whisper when she started to talk about her children".

BREAK, verb. Happen; "Report the news as it develops"; "These political movements recrudesce from time to time".

BREAK, verb. Become fractured; break or crack on the surface only; "The glass cracked when it was heated".

BREAK, verb. Crack; of the male voice in puberty; "his voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir".

BREAK, verb. Fall sharply; "stock prices broke".

BREAK, verb. Fracture a bone of; "I broke my foot while playing hockey".

BREAK, verb. Diminish or discontinue abruptly; "The patient's fever broke last night".

BREAK, verb. Weaken or destroy in spirit or body; "His resistance was broken"; "a man broken by the terrible experience of near-death".