📒 to be damaged and separated into two or more parts, as a result of force; to damage something in this way
- All the windows broke with the force of the blast.
- The bag broke under the weight of the bottles inside it.
- break in/into something She dropped the plate and it broke into pieces.
📒 to stop working as a result of being damaged; to damage something and stop it from working
- My watch has broken.
- break something I think I've broken the washing machine.
📒 to cut the surface of the skin and make it bleed
- The dog bit me but didn't break the skin.
📒 to do something that is against the law; to not keep a promise, etc.
- I had broken the law and deserved to be punished.
- People should not be allowed to break the rules.
- to break a promise
📒 to stop doing something for a while, especially when it is time to eat or have a drink
- break for something Let's break for lunch.
- Parliament breaks for recess next week.
- We broke early and went for a drink.
📒 to interrupt something so that it ends suddenly
- She broke the silence by coughing.
- A tree broke his fall (= stopped him as he was falling).
- The phone rang and broke my train of thought.
📒 to make something end by using force or strong action
- an attempt to break the year-long siege
- Management has not succeeded in breaking the strike.
📒 to end a connection with something or a relationship with somebody
- He broke all ties with his parents.
📒 to manage to get away from or out of a position in which they have been caught
- He finally managed to break free from his attacker.
📒 to destroy something or make somebody/something weaker; to become weak or be destroyed
- to break somebody’s morale/resistance/resolve/spirit
- The government was determined to break the power of the trade unions.
- The scandal broke him (= ruined his reputation and destroyed his confidence).
📒 to win a game in which it is your opponent's turn to serve (= hit the ball across the net first)
- Williams broke her opponent's serve five times.
📒 to make somebody feel so sad, lonely, etc. that they cannot live a normal life
- The death of his wife broke him completely.
📒 to change suddenly, usually after a period when it has been fine
- On the third day the weather broke and they had a violent storm.
📒 to show an opening
- The clouds broke and the sun came out.
📒 to come up through the surface of water in the sea, a pool, etc.
- When his head broke the surface he took in deep gulps of air.
📒 when the day or dawn or a storm breaks, it begins
- Dawn was breaking when they finally left.
📒 if a piece of news breaks, it becomes known
- There was a public outcry when the scandal broke.
📒 to be the first to tell somebody some bad news
- Who's going to break it to her?
- I'm sorry to be the one to break the news to you.
- Just break the news to her gently.
📒 if somebody’s voice breaks, it changes its tone because of emotion
- Her voice broke as she told us the dreadful news.
📒 when a boy’s voice breaks, it becomes permanently deeper at about the age of 13 or 14
📒 to do something better, faster, etc. than anyone has ever done it before
- She had broken the world 100 metres record.
- The movie broke all box-office records.
📒 when waves break, they fall and are dissolved into foam, usually near land
- the sound of waves breaking on the beach
- The sea was breaking over the wrecked ship.
📒 to find the meaning of something secret
📒 to change a banknote for coins
- Can you break a twenty-dollar bill?