break

Meanings

• some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity
  • "there was a break in the action when a player was hurt"
• an unexpected piece of good luck
  • "he finally got his big break"
• (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other
• a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)
  • "they hoped to avoid a break in relations"
• a pause from doing something (as work)
  • "we took a 10-minute break"
• the act of breaking something
  • "the breakage was unavoidable"
• a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
• breaking of hard tissue such as bone
  • "the break seems to have been caused by a fall"
• the occurrence of breaking
  • "the break in the dam threatened the valley"
• an abrupt change in the tone or register of the voice (as at puberty or due to emotion)
  • "then there was a break in her voice"
• the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool
• (tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving
  • "he was up two breaks in the second set"
• an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
  • "it was presented without commercial breaks"
• a sudden dash
  • "he made a break for the open door"
• any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare
  • "the break in the eighth frame cost him the match"
• an escape from jail
  • "the breakout was carefully planned"
• terminate
  • "break a lucky streak"
  • "break the cycle of poverty"
• become separated into pieces or fragments
• render inoperable or ineffective
• ruin completely
• destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments
• act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises
  • "break a law"
  • "break a promise"
• move away or escape suddenly
  • "Nobody can break out--this prison is high security"
• scatter or part
• force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up
  • "break into tears"
• prevent completion
  • "break off the negotiations"
• enter someone's (virtual or real) property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act
• make submissive, obedient, or useful
  • "The horse was tough to break"
• fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns
• surpass in excellence
  • "break a record"
• make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
• come into being
• stop operating or functioning
• interrupt a continued activity
• make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing
• curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves
• lessen in force or effect
  • "break a fall"
• be broken in
  • "If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress"
• come to an end
• vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity
• cause to give up a habit
• give up
  • "break cigarette smoking"
• come forth or begin from a state of latency
• happen or take place
  • "Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months"
• cause the failure or ruin of
  • "This play will either make or break the playwright"
• invalidate by judicial action
• discontinue an association or relation; go different ways
• assign to a lower position; reduce in rank
• reduce to bankruptcy
  • "My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!"
• change directions suddenly
• emerge from the surface of a body of water
• break down, literally or metaphorically
• do a break dance
  • "Kids were break-dancing at the street corner"
• exchange for smaller units of money
  • "I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy"
• destroy the completeness of a set of related items
  • "The book dealer would not break the set"
• make the opening shot that scatters the balls
• separate from a clinch, in boxing
• go to pieces
• break a piece from a whole
  • "break a branch from a tree"
• become punctured or penetrated
• pierce or penetrate
• be released or become known; of news
• cease an action temporarily
  • "let's break for lunch"
• interrupt the flow of current in
  • "break a circuit"
• undergo breaking
• find a flaw in
  • "break an alibi"
  • "break down a proof"
• find the solution or key to
  • "break the code"
• change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another
• happen
• become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
• crack; of the male voice in puberty
  • "his voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir"
• fall sharply
• fracture a bone of
• diminish or discontinue abruptly
• weaken or destroy in spirit or body

Synonyms

bankrupt, better, breach, break away, break dance, break down, break in, break of serve, break off, break out, break up, break-dance, breakage, breaking, breakout, bring out, bump, burst, bust, cave in, check, collapse, come apart, conk out, crack, damp, dampen, demote, develop, die, disclose, discontinue, discover, disruption, divulge, erupt, expose, fail, fall apart, fall in, falling out, fault, faulting, founder, fracture, gaolbreak, gap, geological fault, get around, get out, give, give away, give out, give way, go, go against, go bad, good luck, happy chance, infract, intermission, intermit, interrupt, interruption, jailbreak, kick downstairs, let on, let out, offend, open frame, part, pause, prison-breaking, prisonbreak, recess, recrudesce, relegate, respite, reveal, rift, ruin, rupture, separate, severance, shift, smash, snap off, soften, split, split up, stop, suspension, time out, transgress, unwrap, violate, weaken, wear, wear out