break

Word family  noun break outbreak breakage adjective breakable ≠ unbreakable broken ≠ unbroken verb break

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++ldoce_037_fbreak1 /breɪk/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (past tense broke /brəʊk $ broʊk/, past participle broken /ˈbrəʊkən $ ˈbroʊ-/)  1  IN PIECESseparate into pieces 破碎 a) [transitive]BREAK if you break something, you make it separate into two or more pieces, for example by hitting it, dropping it, or bending it 使破裂，使破碎；使断裂 I had to break a window to get into the house. 我只得打破一扇窗户进屋。 Don’t lean on the fence like that – you’ll break it! 不要那样靠在篱笆上——会把它弄断的！break something in half/two He broke the biscuit in half and handed one piece to me. 他把饼干掰成两半，递了一块给我。 Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it over a gentle heat. 把巧克力破成小块，放在文火上化开。 b) [intransitive]BREAK if something breaks, it separates into two or more pieces 破裂，破碎；断裂 He kept pulling at the rope until it broke. 他一直拉到绳子，直到把它拉断。 The frames are made of plastic and they tend to break quite easily. 这些框架是塑料做的，很容易碎裂。 →5  See picture of smash 打碎, snap 折断, split 劈开, shatter 砸碎 →4  See picture of 见图 break2  PART OF YOUR BODYbones 骨头 [transitive]BREAK to damage a bone in your body by making it crack or split 使骨折 She fell downstairs and broke her hip. 她从楼梯上摔下来，髋部骨折。► see thesaurus at hurt3  NOT WORKINGmachines 机器 a) [transitive]BREAK to damage a machine so that it does not work properly 弄坏，损坏〔机器〕 Don’t mess about with my camera – you’ll break it. 别乱动我的照相机，你会把它弄坏的。 Someone’s broken the TV. 有人把电视机弄坏了。 b) [intransitive]BREAK if a machine breaks, it stops working properly 〔机器〕损坏，失灵 The washing machine’s broken again. 洗衣机又坏了。4  RULE/LAW ETCrules/laws 规定/法律 [transitive]DISOBEY to disobey a rule or law 不遵守，违犯 They’re breaking the law by employing such young children. 他们雇用这么小的孩子是违法的。 If you break the rules, you will be punished. 违反规定要受到惩罚。 The cameras catch motorists who break the speed limit. 摄像头会拍下超速的司机。5  PROMISE/AGREEMENTpromise/agreement 诺言/协议 [transitive]NOT DO something to not do something that you have promised to do or signed an agreement to do 违反，违背〔诺言或协议〕 I never break my promises. 我从不食言。 You betrayed me. You broke your word. 你出卖了我，你说话不算数。break an agreement/contract He was worried that he might be breaking his contract. 他担心自己可能会违约。6  stop/rest 停下来/休息 [intransitive] to stop for a short time in order to have a rest or eat something 稍停，休息break for Shall we break for lunch now? 我们现在停下来吃午饭好吗？7  END A SITUATIONend STH 结束某事物 [transitive]CHANGE/MAKE something DIFFERENT to stop something from continuing 打断，中断 We need to break the cycle of poverty and crime in the inner cities. 我们需要打破旧城区里贫困和犯罪的恶性循环。 We took turns driving, in order to try and break the monotony. 我们轮流开车，免得乏味。 New talks will begin on Monday in an effort to break the deadlock. 为打破僵局，星期一将重启会谈。8  FAILdefeat SB 打垮某人 [transitive] to make someone feel that they have been completely defeated and they cannot continue working or living 打垮，击垮 Losing his business nearly broke him. 生意亏本几乎将他击垮。 I won’t give in. I won’t be broken by him. 我决不服输，我不会被他击垮的。9  destroy an organization 摧毁一个组织 [transitive] to damage an organization so badly that it no longer has any power 摧毁，瓦解〔组织〕 The government succeeded in breaking the unions. 政府成功地瓦解了工会。10  DAY/DAWNday/dawn 白昼/黎明 [intransitive]HAPPEN when the day or the dawn breaks, the sky gets light （天）刚亮，破晓 Dawn was breaking by the time we arrived home. 我们到家的时候天蒙蒙亮。11  STORMstorm 暴风雨 [intransitive]START TO HAPPEN, EXIST ETC if a storm breaks, it begins 〔暴风雨〕来临，突然出现 We were keen to get back to the hotel before the storm broke. 我们急于赶在暴风雨来临之前回到宾馆。12  WEATHERweather 天气 [intransitive]CHANGE/BECOME DIFFERENT if the weather breaks, it suddenly changes and becomes cold or wet 〔天气〕突然变化 The following day the weather broke and we had ten days of solid rain. 第二天天气突变，一连下了十天的雨。13  WAVEwaves 波浪 [intransitive]FALL when waves break, they fall onto the land at the edge of the water 〔波浪〕迸溅，拍岸 We sat and watched the waves breaking on the shore. 我们坐着看波涛拍击海岸。14  VOICESB’s voice 某人的嗓音 [intransitive]LOW SOUND OR VOICE a) when a boy’s voice breaks, it becomes lower and starts to sound like a man’s voice 〔男孩子嗓音〕变粗；变声 He was fifteen, and his voice was just beginning to break. 他15岁，正开始变声。 b) if your voice breaks, it does not sound smooth because you are feeling strong emotions 〔嗓音因激动而〕变调 Her voice broke as she told us what had happened. 她向我们诉说发生的一切时，声音都变了。15  NEWSnews 消息 a) [intransitive]NEWS if news about an important event breaks, it becomes known 〔消息〕传开 News of his resignation broke yesterday. 昨天传出了他辞职的消息。 The minister has refused to give any interviews since the scandal broke. 自从丑闻传出以后，部长就拒绝接受采访。 b) [transitive] if you break unpleasant news to someone, you tell it to them 告诉〔某人不愉快的消息〕 I didn’t know how I was going to break the news to my mother. 我不知道该怎样把这个消息告诉母亲。 The doctor finally broke it to me that there was no cure. 医生最后终于和我明说，这个病没法治愈。16  break a habit STOP DOING somethingto stop doing something that you do regularly, especially something that you should not do 改掉某习惯〔尤指坏习惯〕 a new drug which helps smokers to break their habit 帮助吸烟者戒烟的一种新药17  break a record BESTto do something even faster or even better than the previous best time, amount etc 破记录 an attempt to break the 10,000-metres world record 打破10,000米世界记录的努力18  break a journey British English to stop somewhere for a short time during a long journey 中途停留 We decided to break our journey in Oxford. 我们决定中途在牛津停留。19  break somebody’s heart to make someone very unhappy by ending a relationship with them or doing something that upsets them a lot 使某人伤心[心碎] He broke my heart when he left me. 他离开我时，我的心都碎了。 It’ll break your father’s heart if you tell him you’re giving up college. 如果你告诉父亲你不上大学了，他会很伤心的。20  break a strike BELSTOP WORKING/GO ON STRIKEto force workers to end a strike 迫使罢工结束 The government has threatened to bring in the army to break the 10-month-old strike. 政府威胁要调派军队来结束这场历时十个月的罢工。21  break a link/tie/connection STOP DOING somethingto end a relationship with a person or organization 断绝关系 The US has now broken all diplomatic links with the regime. 美国现已和这个政权断绝了所有外交关系。 Sometimes it is necessary to break family ties in order to protect the child. 有时候为了保护孩子，必须切断他和家人的联系。22  break the skin BREAKto cut the skin on your body 割伤皮肤，撕开皮肤 Their teeth are sharp enough to break the skin. 它们牙齿锋利，足以咬破皮肤。23  break the back of something FINISH DOING somethingto finish the main or worst part of something 完成某事物的主要部分；攻克某事物的难关 I think we’ve broken the back of the job now. 我想我们现在已经把这工作最难的部分完成了。24  break the bank to cost a lot of money, or more money than you have 花很多钱；透支 A new hard drive doesn’t have to break the bank. 一个新的硬盘驱动器要不了多少钱。25  break somebody’s concentration INTERRUPTto interrupt someone and stop them from being able to continue thinking or talking about something 分散某人的注意力 The slightest sound would break his concentration. 稍有一点动静就会分散他的注意力。26  break the silence TALK TO somebodyLOUD/NOISYto end a period of silence by talking or making a noise 打破寂静[沉默] The silence was broken by a loud scream. 一声尖叫打破了寂静。27  break somebody’s spirit FORCE somebody TO DO somethingto destroy someone’s feeling of determination 摧毁某人的意志，挫某人的锐气 They could not break her spirit. 他们摧毁不了她的意志。 The spirit of our soldiers will never be broken. 我们战士的意志永远不会被摧垮。28  break somebody’s power to take away someone’s position of power or control 削弱某人的权力 At last the power of the Church had been broken. 最后，教会的权力终于被削弱了。29  break the ice informal to make people feel more friendly and willing to talk to each other 打破冷场[僵局] Sam’s arrival broke the ice and people began to talk and laugh. 萨姆的到来打破了沉默，大家开始又说又笑起来。30  break a code to succeed in understanding something that is written in a secret way 破译密码 Scientists worked day and night to break the code. 为了破译密码，科学家们日夜工作。31. break wind HBHto allow gas to escape from your bottom, making a noise and an unpleasant smell 放屁32  break (somebody’s) serve DSTto win a game in tennis when your opponent is starting the game by hitting the ball first 〔网球中〕破（某人的）发球（局）得分 Hewitt broke serve twice in the second set. 休伊特在第二盘中两次破对方发球局得分。33. break a leg spoken used to wish someone luck, especially just before they perform on stage 祝你成功，祝你好运〔尤用于在某人上台表演前〕n GrammarBreak belongs to a group of verbs where the same noun can be the subject of the verb or its object. • You can say: I broke a glass. In this sentence, ‘a glass’ is the object of break.• You can also say: A glass broke. In this sentence, ‘a glass’ is the subject of break.n COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 5: to not do something that you have promised to do or signed an agreement to dobreak + NOUNbreak your promiseI’ll never forgive him for breaking his promise to me.break your word (=break your promise)I’ve promised to do it and I never break my word.break your vow (=break a serious or formal promise)He accused her of breaking her marriage vows.break (off) your engagementIn the end she decided to break their engagement.break a contractHe took the company to court for breaking the contract.break an agreementThis action broke the international agreement of 1925. THESAURUSto break something 打破某物break verb [transitive] to damage something and make it separate into pieces, for example by dropping it or hitting it 使破裂，打碎Careful you don’t break the chair. 小心别把椅子弄坏。He broke his leg. 他的腿摔断了。smash verb [transitive] to break something with a lot of force 〔猛力〕打碎，砸碎A policeman smashed his camera. 一名警察砸碎了他的照相机。snap verb [transitive] to break something into two pieces, making a loud noise – used especially about long thin objects 啪地折断〔尤用于指细长的物体〕He snapped the sticks in two. 他啪的一声折断了枝条。split verb [transitive] to separate something into two pieces along a straight line 使分成两半Using a sharp knife, split the melon in half. 用快刀把瓜切成两半。fracture verb [transitive] to damage a bone, especially so that a line appears on the surface 使断裂，使折断〔尤指骨骼等表面有裂痕〕I fell over and fractured my wrist. 我摔倒了，手腕骨折。tear /teə $ ter/ verb [transitive] to damage paper or cloth by pulling it so that it separates into pieces 撕破〔纸或布料〕She tore up the letter and put it in the bin. 她把信撕碎后扔进了垃圾筒。I tore my jacket. 我把外套给扯破了。to become broken 被打碎break verb [intransitive] to become damaged and separate into pieces 破裂，碎裂Plastic breaks quite easily. 塑料很容易碎裂。smash verb [intransitive] to break after being hit with a lot of force 〔遭猛击而〕粉碎The bowl smashed as it hit the floor. 碗打在地上摔碎了。shatter verb [intransitive] to break into a lot of small pieces 粉碎The glass shattered all over the pavement. 玻璃在人行道上碎得到处都是。crack verb [intransitive] if something cracks, a line appears on the surface, which means that it could later break into separate pieces 裂开；出现裂纹The ice was starting to crack. 冰开始裂了。burst verb [intransitive] if a tyre, balloon, pipe etc bursts, it gets a hole and air or liquid suddenly comes out of it 〔轮胎、气球、管道等〕破裂，爆裂She blew up the balloon until it burst. 她吹着气球，直到把它吹爆。split verb [intransitive] to break in a straight line 〔沿直线〕裂开The damp had caused the wood to split. 因为潮湿，木头开裂了。crumble verb [intransitive] to break into a powder or a lot of small pieces 碎裂，崩裂〔成粉末或碎屑〕The cork just crumbled in my hand. 软木塞就在我手中碎裂了。 PHRASAL VERBS34 break away phrasal verb a) LEAVE A JOB OR ORGANIZATIONto leave a group or political party and form another group, usually because of a disagreement 〔通常因意见不合而从某个团体或政党〕脱离出去 More than 30 Labour MPs broke away to form a new left-wing party. 三十多名工党议员脱离工党，成立了一个新的左翼党派。 from They broke away from the national union and set up their own local organization. 他们脱离了全国工会，自己成立了一个地方组织。 → breakaway2b) to leave your home, family, or job and become independent 离开〔家、家人或工作〕 from I felt the need to break away from home. 我觉得有必要从家里出来。c) MOVE/CHANGE POSITIONto move away from someone who is holding you 逃脱，挣脱，逃离 She started crying and tried to break away. 她大叫起来，想要挣脱开去。 from She broke away from him and ran to the door. 她甩开他，跑到门口。d) to move away from other people in a race or game 甩开〔其他参赛者〕 Radcliffe broke away 200 metres before the finish. 拉德克利夫在距终点200米处甩开了其他对手。e) to become loose and no longer attached to something 松开，脱开 Part of the plane’s wing had broken away. 机翼的有些地方脱开了。35 break down phrasal verb a) MACHINEBROKENif a car or machine breaks down, it stops working 停止运转，出故障 The car broke down just north of Paris. 汽车就在巴黎以北的地方抛锚了。 The printing machines are always breaking down. 印刷机老是出故障。 → breakdownb) FAILFAILto fail or stop working in a successful way 失败 Negotiations broke down after only two days. 谈判只进行了两天就破裂了。 I left London when my marriage broke down. 我婚姻破裂以后就离开了伦敦。 → breakdownc) DOOROPEN break something ↔ down if you break down a door, you hit it so hard that it breaks and falls to the ground 撞倒，打破，砸破〔门〕 Police had to break down the door to get into the flat. 警方只得把门撞开，进入公寓。d) CHANGE FIXED IDEASCHANGE/MAKE something DIFFERENT break something ↔ down to change or remove something that prevents people from working together and having a successful relationship with each other 消除，驱除〔人与人之间的隔阂等〕 Getting young people together will help to break down the barriers between them. 把年轻人聚集起来可以帮助他们消除彼此之间的隔阂。 It takes a long time to break down prejudices. 消除偏见需要很长时间。e) CHANGE CHEMICALLYCHANGE FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHERif a substance breaks down, or something breaks it down, it changes as a result of a chemical process （使）分解break something ↔ down Food is broken down in the stomach. 食物在胃里分解。 Bacteria are added to help break down the sewage. 下水道中加入了细菌，帮助分解污物。f) CRYCRYto be unable to stop yourself crying, especially in public 〔尤指在公共场合〕禁不住哭出来 He broke down and cried. 他情绪崩溃，哭了出来。 She broke down in tears when she heard the news. 她听到这个消息禁不住泪流满面。g) MAKE something SIMPLESEPARATE break something ↔ down to separate something into smaller parts so that it is easier to do or understand 拆分，把…分成若干部分〔以方便做或理解〕 He showed us the whole dance, then broke it down so that we could learn it more easily. 他给我们演示了整段舞蹈，然后拆分开来方便我们学习。 The question can be broken down into two parts. 这个问题可以分为两个部分。 → breakdown36 break for something phrasal verb RUNto suddenly run towards something, especially in order to escape from someone 〔尤为指想避开某人〕突然跑向，冲向 He broke for the door, but the guards got there before he did. 他向门口冲去，但是警卫先他一步赶到了那里。37 break in phrasal verb a) ENTERto enter a building by using force, in order to steal something 闯入〔行窃〕 Thieves broke in and stole £10,000 worth of computer equipment. 窃贼破门而入，盗走了价值10,000英镑的计算机设备。 → break-inb) INTERRUPTto interrupt someone when they are speaking 插话，打断谈话 on I didn’t want to break in on his telephone conversation. 我不想打断他的通话。 with Dad would occasionally break in with an amusing comment. 爸爸时不时插进一句有趣的评论。c) WEAR CLOTHES break something ↔ in to make new shoes or boots less stiff and more comfortable by wearing them 使〔新鞋〕逐渐合脚 I went for a walk to break in my new boots. 我出去走了走，好让新靴子合脚。d) USED TO/ACCUSTOMED TO break somebody in to help a person get used to a certain way of behaving or working 使某人适应〔某种行为或工作方式〕 She’s quite new to the job, so we’re still breaking her in. 她才做这份工作不久，所以我们还在带着她熟悉业务。e) break something ↔ in to teach a young horse to carry people on its back 训练〔小马〕驮人 We break the horses in when they’re about two years old. 小马两岁左右的时候，我们就开始训练它们驮人。38 break into something phrasal verb a) STEALENTERto enter a building or car by using force, in order to steal something 闯入〔行窃〕 Someone broke into my car and stole the radio. 有人撬了我的车，把收音机偷走了。 Her house was broken into last week. 她家上个星期遭窃了。b) NEW BUSINESS ACTIVITYTAKE PART/BE INVOLVEDto become involved in a new job or business activity 打入，进入，参与〔新的工作或行业〕 She made an attempt to break into journalism. 她试图进入新闻界。 It’s a profession that is very hard to break into. 这个行业很难挤进去。 Many British firms have failed in their attempts to break into the American market. 许多英国公司试图打入美国市场，但都失败了。c) MONEYSPEND MONEYto start to spend money that you did not want to spend 动用〔不想花费的钱〕 I don’t want to break into my savings unless I have to. 除非迫不得已，我不想动用自己的积蓄。d) break into a run/trot etcSTART DOING something to suddenly start running 突然奔跑 He broke into a run as he came round the corner. 他走到拐角处，突然拔腿就跑。e) break into a smile/a song/applause etcSTART DOING something to suddenly start smiling, singing etc 突然笑起来/唱起来/鼓起掌来等 Her face broke into a smile. 她脸上突然绽放出笑容。 The audience broke into loud applause. 观众中爆发出热烈的掌声。39 break somebody of something phrasal verb STOP DOING somethingto make someone stop having a bad habit 使改掉〔坏习惯〕 Try to break yourself of the habit of eating between meals. 尽量改掉正餐之间吃东西的习惯。40 break off phrasal verb a) PAUSEto suddenly stop talking 突然停止说话，停顿 She started to speak, then broke off while a waitress served us coffee. 她开始说了起来 ，后来服务员给我们上咖啡，她就打住了。 He broke off in mid-sentence to shake hands with the new arrivals. 他话说了一半，停下来和新到的人握手。break something ↔ off I broke off the conversation and answered the phone. 我中断谈话去接电话。b) RELATIONSHIP break something ↔ off to end a relationship 结束，断绝〔关系〕 She broke off their engagement only a few weeks before they were due to be married. 就在他们将要结婚的前几个星期，她取消了婚约。 The US has broken off diplomatic relations with the regime. 美国已经和这个政权断绝了外交关系。c) BREAKif something breaks off, or if you break it off, it comes loose and is no longer attached to something else （使）脱落，（使）脱开 One of the car’s wing mirrors had broken off. 车上的一块后视镜已经脱落。break something ↔ off He broke off a piece of bread. 他掰下一块面包。41 break out phrasal verb a) WAR/FIRE ETCSTART TO HAPPEN, EXIST ETCif something unpleasant such as a fire, fight, or war breaks out, it starts to happen 〔不愉快之事〕爆发，突然发生 I was still living in London when the war broke out. 战争爆发的时候我还住在伦敦。 Does everyone know what to do if a fire breaks out? 如果发生火灾，大家都知道该怎么办吗？ Fighting broke out between demonstrators and the police. 游行示威者和警方发生了冲突。 → outbreakb) ESCAPEESCAPEto escape from a prison 越狱 of Three men have broken out of a top-security jail. 三名男子从一所戒备极其森严的监狱逃跑了。 → breakoutc) CHANGE YOUR LIFECHANGE/MAKE something DIFFERENTto change the way you live because you feel bored 〔因腻烦〕改变生活方式，摆脱 of She felt the need to break out of her daily routine. 她觉得必须从日常生活中解脱出来。d) break out in spots/a rash/a sweat etcILLNESS/DISEASE if you break out in spots etc, they appear on your skin 出丘疹/出红疹/出汗等 I broke out in a painful rash. 我出了疹子，很痛。 My whole body broke out in a sweat. 我浑身冒汗。42 break through phrasal verb a) ATTACK break through (something) to manage to get past or through something that is in your way 冲破（某物），突破（某物） Several demonstrators broke through the barriers despite warnings from the police. 有几名游行示威者不顾警方警告，冲破了路障。 After hours of fierce fighting, rebels broke through and captured the capital. 经过数小时的激战，叛军突破防线，占领了首都。b) SHOW/LET somebody SEE something break through (something) if the sun breaks through, you can see it when you could not see it before because there were clouds 〔太阳〕冲破（云层） The sun broke through at around lunch time. 大约午饭时分，太阳破云而出。 The sun soon broke through the mist. 不久，太阳拨开云雾出来了。c) DEAL WITHto manage to do something successfully when there is a difficulty that is preventing you 突破，有突破 He’s a very talented young actor who’s just ready to break through. 他是一名天赋很高、正待破茧而出的青年演员。 into It is possible that at this election some of the minority parties might succeed in breaking through into parliament. 在这次选举中，可能会有一些少数党派成功杀入议会。 → breakthrough43 break up phrasal verb a) BREAK INTO PIECESBREAKif something breaks up, or if you break it up, it breaks into a lot of small pieces （使）碎裂，（使）破裂 It seems that the plane just broke up in the air. 飞机似乎突然就在空中解体了。break something ↔ up Use a fork to break up the soil. 用叉子松松土。b) SEPARATESEPARATE break something ↔ up to separate something into several smaller parts 分拆，分解 There are plans to break the company up into several smaller independent companies. 有计划要把这家公司分拆成几家独立的小公司。 You need a few trees and bushes to break up the lawn. 你需要种些树和灌木把草坪分隔开来。c) FIGHTSTOP something THAT IS HAPPENING break something ↔ up to stop a fight 阻止〔打斗〕 Three policemen were needed to break up the fight. 有要三名警察才能制止这场斗殴。d) break something ↔ up to make people leave a place where they have been meeting or protesting 驱散〔集会或抗议的人群〕 Government soldiers broke up the demonstration. 政府军驱散了示威人群。 Police moved in to break up the meeting. 警察进来驱散集会。e) MARRIAGE/ORGANIZATIONFINISH/COME TO AN ENDif a marriage, group of people, or relationship breaks up, the people in it separate and do not live or work together anymore 〔婚姻或关系〕破裂；〔团体〕散伙 He lost his job and his marriage broke up. 他丢了工作，婚姻也破裂了。 The couple broke up last year. 这对情侣去年分手了。 Many bands break up because of personality clashes between the musicians. 许多乐队因为音乐人之间性格之间的冲突而解散。 with Has Sam really broken up with Lucy? 山姆真的和露茜分手了吗？ → breakupf) CROWDCROWDif a meeting or party breaks up, people start to leave 〔会议或聚会〕解散，散会，结束 The party didn’t break up until after midnight. 聚会直到过了半夜才结束。 The meeting broke up without any agreement. 这场会议无果而终。g) SCHOOL British EnglishFINISH/COME TO AN END when a school breaks up, it closes for a holiday 〔学校〕放假 School breaks up next week. 学校下个星期放假。 for When do you break up for Easter? 你们复活节什么时候开始放假？h) MAKE somebody LAUGH break somebody up American English informalFUNNY to make someone laugh by saying or doing something funny 使某人大笑 He breaks me up! 他让我笑破了肚皮！44 break with somebody/something phrasal verb a) LEAVE A JOB OR ORGANIZATIONto leave a group of people or an organization, especially because you have had a disagreement with them 与…断绝关系，与…决裂，脱离 She had broken with her family years ago. 她多年前就和家里断绝了关系。 They broke with the Communist Party and set up a new party. 他们脱离工党，成立了一个新的党派。b) break with tradition/the pastTRADITION to stop following old customs and do something in a completely different way 与传统/过去决裂 Now is the time to break with the past. 现在是该和过去告别的时候了。 His work broke with tradition in many ways. 他的作品在很多地方打破了传统。→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

break• I think I was about 14 when my voice broke.• I think the switch is broken.• My watchband has broken.• She dropped a plate and it broke.• Do not use this product if the seal has been broken.• I saw him thrown into the shattered windshield, bounced around inside the Volvo, his face slashed and his bones broken.• Farmers are anxious for the cold weather to break.• He once broke a window of his grandfather's greenhouse with a football.• Her voice breaks as she talks about her missing children.• Britain stood for political ideals that must prevail if western civilization were not to break down.• Careful, those glasses break easily.• She fell off her bike and broke her glasses.• It was such bad luck - it was our first time skiing and Nicola broke her leg.• It just broke. I didn't even touch it!• His nose was broken in two places by a player he had sent off for violent play.• If you break it you'll have to pay for it out of your allowance.• Leave that clock alone - you'll break it!• One of the kids put some rocks in the blender and broke it.• I was trying to ease the wagon down a short slope when it broke loose and almost broke my leg.• I broke my leg last time I went skiing.• I'll let you break next game.• From time to time he broke off his labours to return to the great court to look out for Tutilo returning.• I broke one of her platters once, and I swear she's never forgiven me.• How did you manage to break the microwave?• I don't know what she did, but she managed to break the sewing machine.• Only once did Norwich break their stranglehold, midway through the first-half, when John Polston moved up to rattle a post.break something in half/two• The midsection of the plane is broken nearly in two.• He would have broken it in two and made us watch him do it.• She takes out another donut, breaks it in half and offers it to me.• So he went at me, but I ducked and he hit the shelf - he broke his thumb in two places!• Terrified, she threw herself from the first floor apartment window, breaking her spine in two places.• Once some increasing-returns sectors become nontraded, the analysis breaks down in two ways.• He could have broken me in two with one hand, but he could not break my spirit.break ... rules• He knew he was breaking the rules.• Telling the truth about mothering-when it does not refer to the oneness and bliss-means breaking the rules.• This raises the question of who is responsible if the individual trader breaks the rules.• If only he knew you never break the rules Dudley Do-Right.• Yet even then, as whenever she broke the rules, I had to admit to a tiny bubble of delight.• Very slowly, I realize I can break the rules I hate.• To misuse or break the rules of winking is to produce misunderstanding, puzzlement, complaint, or some other social reaction.• Athletes can be find thousands of dollars for breaking the rules on steroid use.• As I said, you can break the rules sometimes.• Any student caught breaking the school rules was immediately sent to the Principal.break an agreement/contract• And I am also not some one to break contracts.• Farmers say supermarkets put them under pressure to sell at rock bottom prices-and regularly break contracts.• How can a teacher break a contract?• What are the legal consequences of breaking a contract?• Thus an agreement to break a contract may not be actionable.• He broke agreements on a whim, relying on private bargains and connections.• Companies are not regarded as individuals under the Act and are therefore unable to break contracts once signed.• Of course, a teacher who breaks a contract will also be liable to the school; district.break for• Things could improve as the effects of a tax break for defense manufacturers become evident.• As they break for food the general conversation isn't much toned down for her benefit.• A couple of them made a break for it.• Ever see some one walk into a computer store, grab a floor model and make a break for it?• I pulled Susan, and made a break for it.• As the inquest broke for lunch one relative cornered him in the street.• In August, they will break for the presidential conventions.• It was make or break for us.break ... deadlock• But Mr Razali is the first envoy to successfully break the deadlock.• But, last week, news broke that contacts were under way to break the deadlock.• Marco Van Basten grabbed his fourth goal of the season, 12 minutes after Daniele Massaro had broken the deadlock.• Senior officials will meet again in October in an attempt to break the deadlock.• Then, at last, Guido broke the deadlock.• Three minutes before the interval Millen struck to break the deadlock and Love made it two a minute later.• Perhaps here was the key to break the deadlock, the key to the throne of the Wyrmberg.• But birthday boy Wright was waiting to break the deadlock with the goal he had been seeking all night. break ... news• Davis found that the greater the probable handicap, the greater the reluctance to break the news.• Me: How did you break the news?• None wanted to be the one to break the news.• In a desperate attempt to break the news gently to the Overs, Mr Cronje asked police not to visit their home.• They rang from the duty office to break the news to me just after nine.• It was at some point during this trip that she broke the news to Sam.• I broke the news to some people.• Sir Bryan himself had broken the news to Stephen Bonnard.

Related topics: Tennis, Baseball

break2 ●●● S2 W2 noun  1  stop working 停止工作 [countable] a period of time when you stop working in order to rest, eat etc 休息 We’ll have a short break for lunch, then start again at two o'clock. 我们稍微休息一下吃午饭，两点钟再开始。 Let’s take a ten-minute break. 我们休息十分钟吧。 We’d worked for ten hours without a break. 我们已经连续工作十小时了。 I’ll go shopping during my lunch break. 我在午休时间去买点东西。2  stop doing STH 停止做某事 [countable] a period of time when you stop doing something before you start again 中断，暂停break from I wanted a break from university life. 我想暂时从大学里休学。 She decided to take a career break when she had children. 她有了孩子，决定暂时放下工作。break in a welcome break in my normal routine 使我暂时摆脱平常生活的好机会3  holiday 假期 [countable] a short holiday 短暂的假期，休假 I was beginning to feel that I needed a break. 我开始觉得自己需要休假了。 We flew off for a week’s break in Spain. 我们飞往西班牙度假一个星期。 They’re offering weekend breaks in Paris for only £100. 他们正在推出周末巴黎游，只要100英镑。the Easter/Christmas etc break Are you looking forward to the summer break? 你期待放暑假吗？4  at school 在学校里 [uncountable] the time during the school day when classes stop and teachers and students can rest, eat, play etc 课间休息at break I’ll speak to you at break. 课间休息的时候我再找你谈。 They get together with their friends at break time. 课间休息的时候他们就和朋友聚在一起。5  on tv 在电视上 [countable] a pause for advertisements during a television or radio programme 〔电视或广播节目中的〕广告时间 Join us again after the break. 广告之后请继续收看。 We’ll be back with more after a short break. 一小段广告之后精彩继续。 6  STH stops happening 某事停止发生 [countable] a period of time when something stops happening before it starts again 暂停，中止break in We’ll go for a walk if there’s a break in the rain. 雨停了我们就去散散步。 Latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance. 迟到者须等演出中途适当的间歇方可入场。 She waited for a break in the conversation. 她等着谈话暂停。 There was no sign of a break in the weather (=an improvement in bad weather). 天气没有好转的迹象。7  END/CHANGEend a relationship 结束关系 [singular]FINISH/COME TO AN END a time when you leave a person or group, or end a relationship with someone 结束，断绝 I wanted a clean break so that I could restart my life. 我想彻底了断，开始新的生活。 It was years before I plucked up enough courage to make the break and leave him. 多年以后我才鼓足勇气分手，离开了他。break with He was beginning to regret his break with the Labour Party. 他开始后悔脱离工党。8  A SPACEspace/hole 空间/洞 [countable]SPACE/GAP a space or hole in something 裂口，缺口，裂缝break in We crawled through a break in the hedge. 我们从树篱的一个缺口爬了过去。 The sun shone through a break in the clouds. 太阳光透过云层的缝隙照射下来。9  A CHANCEchance 机会 [countable] informalCHANCE/OPPORTUNITY a sudden or unexpected chance to do something that allows you to become successful in your job 〔意想不到的〕机会，机遇 There are hundreds of young musicians out there looking for their first break. 有许许多多的年轻音乐人在寻找崭露头角的机会。 He got his first big break in 1998. 1998年他得到了第一次大好机会。 a lucky break 好运气10  BROKEN PLACEbones 骨头 [countable]INJURE the place where a bone in your body has broken 骨折 It’s quite a bad break, which will take several months to heal. 骨折很严重，需要好几个月才能痊愈。 11  TENNIStennis 网球 [countable]DST a situation in a game of tennis in which you win a game when your opponent is starting the game by hitting the ball first 破发，破发球局得分 She really needs a break of serve now if she wants to win this match. 如果她要打赢这场比赛，现在非得破掉对方发球局才行。12. POINTSsnooker 斯诺克 [countable]DSB the number of points that a player wins when it is their turn to hit the ball in a game such as snooker 连击所得的分数13  break with tradition/the past a time when people stop following old customs and do something in a completely different way 与传统/过去的决裂 It is time for a complete break with the past. 是时候彻底告别过去了。14  make a break for something ESCAPEto suddenly start running towards something in order to escape from a place 〔为了逃跑〕突然冲向某地 As soon as the guard’s back was turned, they made a break for the door. 警卫一转身，他们就赶快向门口跑去。 Two of the prisoners made a break for it but were soon recaptured. 两名囚犯越狱逃跑，但是很快就被抓了回来。15. give me/it a break! spokenSTOP DOING something used when you want someone to stop doing or saying something that is annoying you 别烦我！16  give somebody a break spoken to stop being strict with someone so that a situation becomes easier for them 给某人一次机会，不苛求某人 Give the kid a break. It’s only his second day on the job. 放过这小伙子吧，他干这活才第二天呢。17. the break of day literaryEARLY the time early in the morning when it starts getting light 黎明，拂晓n COLLOCATIONSverbshave/take a breakAfter two hours, she took a break and switched on the radio.need a breakI’m sorry, I can’t do any more - I need a break.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + break a short/quick breakShall we have a quick five-minute break?a lunch breakWhat time’s your lunch break?a coffee/tea breakHow about a coffee break?a morning/afternoon breakI don’t usually have time for a morning break.a well-earned break (=one that you deserve)Everyone’s looking forward to a well-earned break when the exams are over.

Examples from the Corpus

break• There had been barely a break in their conversation as they hopped the rocks.• I spoke to him briefly during a break in rehearsals.• Gary wants to work in television. He's just waiting for a break.• Some agencies are particularly keen to attract nurses who have had a break in practice and provide reorientation for new staff.• After finishing school, Craig felt he needed a break from studying.• Gonzales needs a break of serve to even the match up.• Can you take a break next month?• There was a break of two years between his last book and this one.• Some new networks can heal themselves when a break occurs, without any involvement from a repairman.• Harry had worked for eight hours without a break.• Could you come and see me during afternoon break?• Come and see me at break, Tom.• Nimoy's big break in television came in the mid-'60s, when he won the role of Spock on "Star Trek."• The students get a few days' break in February.• Seeing that advertisement in the paper was a lucky break for me.• Superior Court Judge Hiroshi Fujisaki abruptly called for an early lunch break.• I'll phone you in my lunch break.• The children have a fifteen-minute break at 11 o'clock.• She returned to her job after a six-month break.• Daytona Beach is preparing for the thousands of college students who will arrive for spring break.• OK, let's run through it again straight after the break.• But when one came it was on the break, Tovalieri getting Bari's third.• The break has not healed correctly.• During those breaks tea was brewed over Bunsen burners, and he sat back and answered questions.• She's had a two-year break from competitive running, but now she's staging a comeback.lunch break• Then we had a lunch break during which time the Head went round and awarded marks for the cleanest class.• More volunteers would also allow the workers simple pleasures like a lunch break without feeling guilty.• Superior Court Judge Hiroshi Fujisaki abruptly called for an early lunch break.• I timed it so I caught Stu on his lunch break.• After all, the 27-year-old farm worker fully intended to return to work when his 30-minute lunch break was over.• I rang Joy and Alan, who came immediately and stayed, apart from a quick lunch break, all day.• Oh, they had a little fun trapping regents going to the bathroom during the lunch break.• Zaza and Fiona were discussing their plans to visit Top Shop in their lunch break.career break• I took up a position in a university library after a career break.• It has been written to meet the needs of those returning to work after a career break.• It is vital that the education system should attract back women who have taken a career break to raise a family.• But despite all the bonhomie about career breaks in the Nogales maquilas, Colantuoni says one thing is clear.• We already encourage job-shares, part-time working and career breaks and we are introducing home working.• His next big career break came about almost by accident.• Employers who do not offer career breaks and childcare facilities may find themselves passed over in favour of employers who do.the Easter/Christmas etc break• Of course, no day is typical and there are particular tensions which emerge in the few weeks before the Christmas break.• Before the Christmas break it became apocalyptic.• Adam was nineteen and in his first year at university, though at that time at home for the Easter break.• Thomas Cook is to launch a £1m campaign to encourage late bookers to travel over the Easter break.• For Armagh it's crucial they build on a series of heart-warming displays since the Christmas break.• To emphasise the message, ministers have been told to spend the Easter break in Britain rather than holidaying overseas.• Everything was A-Okay until the Christmas break.• A Forte spokesperson says the launch of the Heritage campaign is timed to coincide with the Easter break.break time• What should happen to helpers at break times?• Important parts of the job could be carried out at break times or through telephone calls.• The selling of sugar free squash at break times provides a service appreciated by children and also generates a regular income.• Oh, looks like it's coffee break time - again.• Royal watchers say the 47-year-old prince recognizes it is make or break time for him personally.• And the break time in between has been cut from 1 minute, 30 seconds to 50 seconds.• Should they have their break times in the staff rooms or is this an intrusion into staff freedom?break in the weather• Taking advantage of a brief break in the weather, people covered the fountain.• The break in the weather made it easier for everyone.break with• The ceremony is a complete break with tradition.• This ruling represents a major break with the policies of the past 35 years.lucky break• It might be a lucky break.• Outside Nordhausen he had a lucky break.• Key events included radical job changes and serious problems, as well as lucky breaks.• Ace thought that was another suspiciously lucky break, but she had no complaints.• He wouldn't be getting much sleep over the next few days unless they got a very lucky break.break of serve• No surprise breaks of serve, no marathon games.From Longman Business Dictionarybreakbreak1 /breɪk/ verb (past tense broke /brəʊkbroʊk/, past participle broken /ˈbrəʊkənˈbroʊ-/)1[transitive] if someone breaks a law, rule, agreement etc, they do not do what it says they should doIf you copy music files from the Internet, you could easily be breaking the law.The other company broke the terms of its agreement.2if employers break a STRIKE, they force the strikers to end it, perhaps with the help of the army or the policeHe broke the ambulancemen’s strike by getting the army to answer emergency calls.3break even to neither make a profit nor lose moneyThe company needs to charge $13 a ton to break even.The retailer warns that it expects sales to be down by 15%, and it may only break even. → break down → break something → up→ See Verb tablebreakbreak2 noun [countable]1a period of time when you stop working or stop what you are doing in order to rest, eat, take a holiday etcHe was entitled to a forty-five minute lunch break.Employers must provide people who work at computers with rest breaks. → bio break → city break → mini break2 (also commercial break) a pause for advertisements during a television or radio programmeWe’ll be back with more music after the break.3FINANCE a sudden, large fall in market prices, especially the price of shares on a stockmarketThe big break in cattle prices has forced ranchers to stop selling young cattle.4a sudden or unexpected chance to do something, especially to be successful in your jobShe got her first break in 1951 on Broadway.He did small commercials for Yellow Pages before getting his big break with the Porsche advert.5a period of several weeks or years during which something stops, before continuing againbreak inIf you have a break in paid employment for two complete consecutive tax years, you must pay full-rate contributions when you return to work. → career breakOrigin break1 Old English brecan

break1 verb →10-19 →20-33
→n GRAMMAR1 →n COLLOCATIONS1 →THESAURUS1 →PHRASAL VERBS1break2 noun →10-17
→n COLLOCATIONS1LDOCE OnlineChinese  

Corpus you separate it something, break you make if Business

break

I

break¹ S1 W1 /breɪk/ verb (past tense broke /brəʊk $ broʊk/, past participle broken /ˈbrəʊkən $ ˈbroʊ-/)1.  SEPARATE INTO PIECES
  a. [transitive] if you break something, you make it separate into two or more pieces, for example by hitting it, dropping it, or bending it:
    I had to break a window to get into the house.
    Don’t lean on the fence like that – you’ll break it!
    break something in half/two
    He broke the biscuit in half and handed one piece to me.
    Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it over a gentle heat.
  b. [intransitive] if something breaks, it separates into two or more pieces:
    He kept pulling at the rope until it broke.
    The frames are made of plastic and they tend to break quite easily.
2.  BONES  [transitive] to damage a bone in your body by making it crack or split:
    She fell downstairs and broke her hip.
3.  MACHINES
  a. [transitive] to damage a machine so that it does not work properly:
    Don’t mess about with my camera – you’ll break it.
    Someone’s broken the TV.
  b. [intransitive] if a machine breaks, it stops working properly:
    The washing machine’s broken again.
4.  RULES/LAWS  [transitive] to disobey a rule or law:
    They’re breaking the law by employing such young children.
    If you break the rules, you will be punished.
    The cameras catch motorists who break the speed limit.
5.  PROMISE/AGREEMENT  [transitive] to not do something that you have promised to do or signed an agreement to do:
    I never break my promises.
    You betrayed me. You broke your word.
    break an agreement/contract
    He was worried that he might be breaking his contract.
6.  STOP/REST  [intransitive] to stop for a short time in order to have a rest or eat something
    break for
    Shall we break for lunch now?
7.  END SOMETHING  [transitive] to stop something from continuing:
    We need to break the cycle of poverty and crime in the inner cities.
    We took turns driving, in order to try and break the monotony.
    New talks will begin on Monday in an effort to break the deadlock.
8.  DEFEAT SOMEBODY  [transitive] to make someone feel that they have been completely defeated and they cannot continue working or living:
    Losing his business nearly broke him.
    I won’t give in. I won’t be broken by him.
9.  DESTROY AN ORGANIZATION  [transitive] to damage an organization so badly that it no longer has any power:
    The government succeeded in breaking the unions.
10.  DAY/DAWN  [intransitive] when the day or the dawn breaks, the sky gets light:
    Dawn was breaking by the time we arrived home.
11.  STORM  [intransitive] if a storm breaks, it begins:
    We were keen to get back to the hotel before the storm broke.
12.  WEATHER  [intransitive] if the weather breaks, it suddenly changes and becomes cold or wet:
    The following day the weather broke and we had ten days of solid rain.
13.  WAVES  [intransitive] when waves break, they fall onto the land at the edge of the water:
    We sat and watched the waves breaking on the shore
14.  SB’S VOICE  [intransitive]
  a. when a boy’s voice breaks, it becomes lower and starts to sound like a man’s voice:
    He was fifteen, and his voice was just beginning to break.
  b. if your voice breaks, it does not sound smooth because you are feeling strong emotions:
    Her voice broke as she told us what had happened.
15.  NEWS
  a. [intransitive] if news about an important event breaks, it becomes known:
    News of his resignation broke yesterday.
    The minister has refused to give any interviews since the scandal broke.
  b. [transitive] if you break unpleasant news to someone, you tell it to them:
    I didn’t know how I was going to break the news to my mother.
    The doctor finally broke it to me that there was no cure.
16. break a habit to stop doing something that you do regularly, especially something that you should not do:
    a new drug which helps smokers to break their habit
17. break a record to do something even faster or even better than the previous best time, amount etc:
    an attempt to break the 10,000-metres world record
18. break a journey British English to stop somewhere for a short time during a long journey:
    We decided to break our journey in Oxford.
19. break sb’s heart to make someone very unhappy by ending a relationship with them or doing something that upsets them a lot:
    He broke my heart when he left me.
    It’ll break your father’s heart if you tell him you’re giving up college.
20. break a strike to force workers to end a strike:
    The government has threatened to bring in the army to break the 10-month-old strike.
21. break a link/tie/connection to end a relationship with a person or organization:
    The US has now broken all diplomatic links with the regime.
    Sometimes it is necessary to break family ties in order to protect the child.
22. break the skin to cut the skin on your body:
    Their teeth are sharp enough to break the skin.
23. break the back of something to finish the main or worst part of something:
    I think we’ve broken the back of the job now.
24. break the bank to cost a lot of money, or more money than you have:
    A new hard drive doesn’t have to break the bank.
25. break sb’s concentration to interrupt someone and stop them from being able to continue thinking or talking about something:
    The slightest sound would break his concentration.
26. break the silence to end a period of silence by talking or making a noise:
    The silence was broken by a loud scream.
27. break sb’s spirit to destroy someone’s feeling of determination:
    They could not break her spirit.
    The spirit of our soldiers will never be broken.
28. break sb’s power to take away someone’s position of power or control:
    At last the power of the Church was finally broken.
29. break the ice informal to make people feel more friendly and willing to talk to each other:
    Sam’s arrival broke the ice and people began to talk and laugh.
30. break a code to succeed in understanding something that is written in a secret way:
    Scientists worked day and night to break the code.
31. break wind to allow gas to escape from your bottom, making a noise and an unpleasant smell
32. break (sb’s) serve to win a game in tennis when your opponent is starting the game by hitting the ball first:
    Hewitt broke serve twice in the second set.
33. break a leg spoken used to wish someone luck, especially just before they perform on stage
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meaning 5)

■ break + NOUN
   ▪ break your promise I’ll never forgive him for breaking his promise to me.
   ▪ break your word (=break your promise) I’ve promised to do it and I never break my word.
   ▪ break your vow (=break a serious or formal promise) He accused her of breaking her marriage vows.
   ▪ break (off) your engagement In the end she decided to break their engagement.
   ▪ break a contract He took the company to court for breaking the contract.
   ▪ break an agreement This action broke the international agreement of 1925.
     

THESAURUS

■ to break something
   ▪ break verb [transitive] to damage something and make it separate into pieces, for example by dropping it or hitting it: Careful you don’t break the chair. | He broke his leg.
   ▪ smash verb [transitive] to break something with a lot of force: A policeman smashed his camera.
   ▪ snap verb [transitive] to break something into two pieces, making a loud noise – used especially about long thin objects: He snapped the sticks in two.
   ▪ split verb [transitive] to separate something into two pieces along a straight line: Using a sharp knife, split the melon in half.
   ▪ fracture verb [transitive] to damage a bone, especially so that a line appears on the surface: I fell over and fractured my wrist.
   ▪ tear /teə $ ter/ verb [transitive] to damage paper or cloth by pulling it so that it separates into pieces: She tore up the letter and put it in the bin. | I tore my jacket.
■ to become broken
   ▪ break verb [intransitive] to become damaged and separate into pieces: Plastic breaks quite easily.
   ▪ smash verb [intransitive] to break after being hit with a lot of force: The bowl smashed as it hit the floor.
   ▪ shatter verb [intransitive] to break into a lot of small pieces: The glass shattered all over the pavement.
   ▪ crack verb [intransitive] if something cracks, a line appears on the surface, which means that it could later break into separate pieces: The ice was starting to crack.
   ▪ burst verb [intransitive] if a tyre, balloon, pipe etc bursts, it gets a hole and air or liquid suddenly comes out of it: She blew up the balloon until it burst.
   ▪ split verb [intransitive] to break in a straight line: The damp had caused the wood to split.
   ▪ crumble verb [intransitive] to break into a powder or a lot of small pieces: The cork just crumbled in my hand.
     
break away phrasal verb
  1. to leave a group or political party and form another group, usually because of a disagreement:
    More than 30 Labour MPs broke away to form a new left-wing party.
    break away from
    They broke away from the national union and set up their own local organization. ⇨ breakaway²
  2. to leave your home, family, or job and become independent
    break away from
    I felt the need to break away from home.
  3. to move away from someone who is holding you:
    She started crying and tried to break away.
    break away from
    She broke away from him and ran to the door.
  4. to move away from other people in a race or game:
    Radcliffe broke away 200 metres before the finish.
  5. to become loose and no longer attached to something:
    Part of the plane’s wing had broken away.
break down phrasal verb
  1. if a car or machine breaks down, it stops working:
    The car broke down just north of Paris.
    The printing machines are always breaking down. ⇨ breakdown
  2. to fail or stop working in a successful way:
    Negotiations broke down after only two days.
    I left London when my marriage broke down. ⇨ breakdown
  3. break something ↔ down if you break down a door, you hit it so hard that it breaks and falls to the ground:
    Police had to break down the door to get into the flat.
  4. break something ↔ down to change or remove something that prevents people from working together and having a successful relationship with each other:
    Getting young people together will help to break down the barriers between them.
    It takes a long time to break down prejudices.
  5. if a substance breaks down, or something breaks it down, it changes as a result of a chemical process
    break something ↔ down
    Food is broken down in the stomach.
    Bacteria are added to help break down the sewage.
  6. to be unable to stop yourself crying, especially in public:
    He broke down and cried.
    She broke down in tears when she heard the news.
  7. break something ↔ down to separate something into smaller parts so that it is easier to do or understand:
    He showed us the whole dance, then broke it down so that we could learn it more easily.
    The question can be broken down into two parts.
  ⇨ breakdown
break for something phrasal verb
  to suddenly run towards something, especially in order to escape from someone:
    He broke for the door, but the guards got there before he did.
break in phrasal verb
  1. to enter a building by using force, in order to steal something:
    Thieves broke in and stole £10,000 worth of computer equipment. ⇨ break-in
  2. to interrupt someone when they are speaking
    break in on
    I didn’t want to break in on his telephone conversation.
    break in with
    Dad would occasionally break in with an amusing comment.
  3. break something ↔ in to make new shoes or boots less stiff and more comfortable by wearing them:
    I went for a walk to break in my new boots.
  4. break somebody in to help a person get used to a certain way of behaving or working:
    She’s quite new to the job, so we’re still breaking her in.
  5. break something ↔ in to teach a young horse to carry people on its back:
    We break the horses in when they’re about two years old.
break into something phrasal verb
  1. to enter a building or car by using force, in order to steal something:
    Someone broke into my car and stole the radio.
    Her house was broken into last week.
  2. to become involved in a new job or business activity:
    She made an attempt to break into journalism.
    It’s a profession that is very hard to break into.
    Many British firms have failed in their attempts to break into the American market.
  3. to start to spend money that you did not want to spend:
    I don’t want to break into my savings unless I have to.
  4. break into a run/trot etc to suddenly start running:
    He broke into a run as he came round the corner.
  5. break into a smile/a song/applause etc to suddenly start smiling, singing etc:
    Her face broke into a smile.
    The audience broke into loud applause.
break somebody of something phrasal verb
  to make someone stop having a bad habit:
    Try to break yourself of the habit of eating between meals.
break off phrasal verb
  1. to suddenly stop talking:
    She started to speak, then broke off while a waitress served us coffee.
    He broke off in mid-sentence to shake hands with the new arrivals.
    break something ↔ off
    I broke off the conversation and answered the phone.
  2. break something ↔ off to end a relationship:
    She broke off their engagement only a few weeks before they were due to be married.
    The US has broken off diplomatic relations with the regime.
  3. if something breaks off, or if you break it off, it comes loose and is no longer attached to something else:
    One of the car’s wing mirrors had broken off.
    break something ↔ off
    He broke off a piece of bread.
break out phrasal verb
  1. if something unpleasant such as a fire, fight, or war breaks out, it starts to happen:
    I was still living in London when the war broke out.
    Does everyone know what to do if a fire breaks out?
    Fighting broke out between demonstrators and the police. ⇨ outbreak
  2. to escape from a prison
    break out of
    Three men have broken out of a top-security jail. ⇨ breakout
  3. to change the way you live because you feel bored
    break out of
    She felt the need to break out of her daily routine.
  4. break out in spots/a rash/a sweat etc if you break out in spots etc, they appear on your skin:
    I broke out in a painful rash.
    My whole body broke out in a sweat.
break through phrasal verb
  1. break through (something) to manage to get past or through something that is in your way:
    Several demonstrators broke through the barriers despite warnings from the police.
    After hours of fierce fighting, rebels broke through and captured the capital.
  2. break through (something) if the sun breaks through, you can see it when you could not see it before because there were clouds:
    The sun broke through at around lunch time.
    The sun soon broke through the mist.
  3. to manage to do something successfully when there is a difficulty that is preventing you:
    He’s a very talented young actor who’s just ready to break through.
    break through into
    It is possible that at this election some of the minority parties might succeed in breaking through into parliament.
  ⇨ breakthrough
break up phrasal verb
  1. if something breaks up, or if you break it up, it breaks into a lot of small pieces:
    It seems that the plane just broke up in the air.
    break something ↔ up
    Use a fork to break up the soil.
  2. break something ↔ up to separate something into several smaller parts:
    There are plans to break the company up into several smaller independent companies.
    You need a few trees and bushes to break up the lawn.
  3. break something ↔ up to stop a fight:
    Three policemen were needed to break up the fight.
  4. break something ↔ up to make people leave a place where they have been meeting or protesting:
    Government soldiers broke up the demonstration.
    Police moved in to break up the meeting.
  5. if a marriage, group of people, or relationship breaks up, the people in it separate and do not live or work together any more:
    He lost his job and his marriage broke up.
    The couple broke up last year.
    Many bands break up because of personality clashes between the musicians.
    break up with
    Has Sam really broken up with Lucy? ⇨ breakup
  6. if a meeting or party breaks up, people start to leave:
    The party didn’t break up until after midnight.
    The meeting broke up without any agreement.
  7. British English when a school breaks up, it closes for a holiday:
    School breaks up next week.
    break up for
    When do you break up for Easter?
  8. break somebody up American English informal to make someone laugh by saying or doing something funny:
    He breaks me up!
break with somebody/something phrasal verb
  1. to leave a group of people or an organization, especially because you have had a disagreement with them:
    She had broken with her family years ago.
    They broke with the Communist Party and set up a new party.
  2. break with tradition/the past to stop following old customs and do something in a completely different way:
    Now is the time to break with the past.
    His work broke with tradition in many ways.

II

break² S2 W2 noun1.  STOP WORKING  [countable] a period of time when you stop working in order to rest, eat etc:
    We’ll have a short break for lunch, then start again at two o'clock.
    Let’s take a ten-minute break.
    We’d worked for ten hours without a break.
    I’ll go shopping during my lunch break.
2.  STOP DOING SOMETHING  [countable] a period of time when you stop doing something before you start again
    break from
    I wanted a break from university life.
    She decided to take a career break when she had children.
    break in
    a welcome break in my normal routine
3.  HOLIDAY  [countable] a short holiday:
    I was beginning to feel that I needed a break.
    We flew off for a week’s break in Spain.
    They’re offering weekend breaks in Paris for only £100.
    the Easter/Christmas etc break
    Are you looking forward to the summer break?
4.  AT SCHOOL  [uncountable] the time during the school day when classes stop and teachers and students can rest, eat, play etc
    at break
    I’ll speak to you at break.
    They get together with their friends at break time.
5.  ON TV  [countable] a pause for advertisements during a television or radio programme:
    Join us again after the break.
    We’ll be back with more after a short break.
6.  SOMETHING STOPS HAPPENING  [countable] a period of time when something stops happening before it starts again
    break in
    We’ll go for a walk if there’s a break in the rain.
    Latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance.
    She waited for a break in the conversation.
    There was no sign of a break in the weather (=an improvement in bad weather).
7.  END A RELATIONSHIP  [singular] a time when you leave a person or group, or end a relationship with someone:
    I wanted a clean break so that I could restart my life.
    It was years before I plucked up enough courage to make the break and leave him.
    break with
    He was beginning to regret his break with the Labour Party.
8.  SPACE/HOLE  [countable] a space or hole in something
    break in
    We crawled through a break in the hedge.
    The sun shone through a break in the clouds.
9.  CHANCE  [countable] informal a sudden or unexpected chance to do something that allows you to become successful in your job:
    There are hundreds of young musicians out there looking for their first break.
    He got his first big break in 1998.
    a lucky break
10.  BONES  [countable] the place where a bone in your body has broken:
    It’s quite a bad break, which will take several months to heal.
11.  TENNIS  [countable] a situation in a game of tennis in which you win a game when your opponent is starting the game by hitting the ball first:
    She really needs a break of serve now if she wants to win this match.
12.  SNOOKER  [countable] the number of points that a player wins when it is their turn to hit the ball in a game such as snooker
13. break with tradition/the past a time when people stop following old customs and do something in a completely different way:
    It is time for a complete break with the past.
14. make a break for something to suddenly start running towards something in order to escape from a place:
    As soon as the guard’s back was turned, they made a break for the door.
    Two of the prisoners made a break for it but were soon recaptured.
15. give me/it a break! spoken used when you want someone to stop doing or saying something that is annoying you
16. give somebody a break spoken to stop being strict with someone so that a situation becomes easier for them:
    Give the kid a break. It’s only his second day on the job.
17. the break of day literary the time early in the morning when it starts getting light
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ verbs
   ▪ have/take a break After two hours, she took a break and switched on the radio.
   ▪ need a break I’m sorry, I can’t do any more - I need a break.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + break
   ▪ a short/quick break Shall we have a quick five-minute break?
   ▪ a lunch break What time’s your lunch break?
   ▪ a coffee/tea break How about a coffee break?
   ▪ a morning/afternoon break I don’t usually have time for a morning break.
   ▪ a well-earned break (=one that you deserve) Everyone’s looking forward to a well-earned break when the exams are over.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ vacation especially American English, holiday especially British English time you spend away from school or work: Are you taking a vacation this summer? | We met on holiday in Cyprus. | What are you doing in the school holidays?
   ▪ holiday a day that is set by law, when no one has to go to work or school: the Thanksgiving holiday | New Year's Day is a national holiday. | In 2002, there was an extra public holiday to mark the Queen's golden jubilee. | the August bank holiday (=day when all the banks and shops are closed – used in British English)
   ▪ break a time when you stop working or studying in order to rest, or a short vacation from school: a ten-minute coffee break | Lots of college kids come to the beaches during the spring break.
   ▪ leave a time when you are allowed not to work: We get four weeks' annual leave (=paid time off work each year). | He has been taking a lot of sick leave (=time off work because you are ill) recently. | Angela is on maternity leave (= time off work when having a baby). | He was given compassionate leave (=time off work because someone close to you has died, is very ill etc) to go to his father's funeral.
   ▪ sabbatical [usually singular] a period when someone, especially a teacher, stops doing their usual work in order to study or travel: She was on sabbatical for six months. | I'm thinking of taking a sabbatical.
   ▪ furlough a period of time when a soldier or someone working in another country can return to their own country as a holiday: While on furlough, he and his girlfriend got married.
   ▪ R & R (rest and relaxation) a holiday, especially one given to people in the army, navy etc after a long period of hard work or during a war: Soldiers in Vietnam were taken to Hawaii for R & R.