BREAK

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

Irregular inflected forms: broke , broken

I. (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An escape from jail

Example:

the breakout was carefully planned

Synonyms:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

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

escape; flight (the act of escaping physically)

Derivation:

break (move away or escape suddenly)

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Example:

the break in the eighth frame cost him the match

Synonyms:

break; open frame

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

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

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

Sense 3

Meaning:

A sudden dash

Example:

he made a break for the open door

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

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

dash; sprint (a quick run)

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

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

Sense 4

Meaning:

The act of breaking something

Example:

the breakage was unavoidable

Synonyms:

break; breakage; breaking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

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

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

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

rupture (the act of making a sudden noisy break)

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

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

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

Derivation:

break (become separated into pieces or fragments)

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

Sense 5

Meaning:

An act of delaying or interrupting the continuity

Example:

there was a gap in his account

Synonyms:

break; disruption; gap; interruption

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

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

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

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

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

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

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

abruption; breaking off (an instance of sudden interruption)

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

Sense 6

Meaning:

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

Example:

he was up two breaks in the second set

Synonyms:

break; break of serve

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

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

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

Domain category:

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

Sense 7

Meaning:

The opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

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

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

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

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

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

Derivation:

break (make the opening shot that scatters the balls)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A pause from doing something (as work)

Example:

he took time out to recuperate

Synonyms:

break; recess; respite; time out

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

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

pause (temporary inactivity)

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

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

Derivation:

break (cease an action temporarily)

Sense 9

Meaning:

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

Example:

then there was a break in her voice

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

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

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

Sense 10

Meaning:

A personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)

Example:

they hoped to avoid a break in relations

Synonyms:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

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

breakup; detachment; separation (coming apart)

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

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

Derivation:

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

Sense 11

Meaning:

An unexpected piece of good luck

Example:

he finally got his big break

Synonyms:

break; good luck; happy chance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

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

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

Sense 12

Meaning:

The occurrence of breaking

Example:

the break in the dam threatened the valley

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

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

breakup; detachment; separation (coming apart)

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

snap (a sudden breaking)

Derivation:

break (become separated into pieces or fragments)

Sense 13

Meaning:

Some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity

Example:

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

Synonyms:

break; interruption

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

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

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

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

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

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

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

eclipse; occultation (one celestial body obscures another)

Derivation:

break (vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity)

Sense 14

Meaning:

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

Example:

he studied the faulting of the earth's crust

Synonyms:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

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

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

Meronyms (parts of "break"):

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

Domain category:

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

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

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

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

Instance hyponyms:

Denali Fault (a major open geological fault in Alaska)

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

Derivation:

break (become separated into pieces or fragments)

Sense 15

Meaning:

Breaking of hard tissue such as bone

Example:

the break seems to have been caused by a fall

Synonyms:

break; fracture

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Derivation:

break (fracture a bone of)

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

Sense 16

Meaning:

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

Synonyms:

break; intermission; interruption; pause; suspension

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

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

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

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

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

blackout (a suspension of radio or tv broadcasting)

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

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

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

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

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

time-out (a brief suspension of play)

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

Derivation:

break (interrupt a continued activity)

II. (verb)

break; fracture

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

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

injure; wound (cause injuries or bodily harm to)

Verb group:

fracture (break (a bone))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

Did he break his foot?

Derivation:

break (breaking of hard tissue such as bone)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Fall sharply

Example:

stock prices broke

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

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

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence example:

The stock market is going to break

Sense 5

Meaning:

Make submissive, obedient, or useful

Example:

I broke in the new intern

Synonyms:

break; break in

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

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

Cause:

break (be broken in)

Verb group:

break (be broken in)

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 6

Meaning:

Be broken in

Example:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

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

Verb group:

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 7

Meaning:

Crack; of the male voice in puberty

Example:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

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

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 8

Meaning:

Render inoperable or ineffective

Example:

You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

damage (inflict damage upon)

Verb group:

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

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

breakage (the act of breaking something)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Become separated into pieces or fragments

Example:

The freshly baked loaf fell apart

Synonyms:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

change integrity (change in physical make-up)

Verb group:

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

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

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

puncture (be pierced or punctured)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence examples:

The wooden sticks break

These glasses break easily

Also:

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

Derivation:

break (the act of breaking something)

break (the occurrence of breaking)

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

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)

Sense 10

Meaning:

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

Example:

She broke the match

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

divide; separate (make a division or separation)

Verb group:

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

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

shatter (cause to break into many pieces)

fracture (break into pieces)

break in (break so as to fall inward)

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

Sentence frames:

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

Sentence example:

The girls break the wooden sticks

Derivation:

break (the act of breaking something)

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)

breakage (the act of breaking something)

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

Sense 11

Meaning:

Become fractured; break or crack on the surface only

Example:

The glass cracked when it was heated

Synonyms:

break; check; crack

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

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

Verb group:

check; chink (make cracks or chinks in)

crack (cause to become cracked)

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

crack (break partially but keep its integrity)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

break (breaking of hard tissue such as bone)

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)

Sense 12

Meaning:

Happen

Example:

These political movements recrudesce from time to time

Synonyms:

break; develop; recrudesce

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

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

Verb group:

develop (be gradually disclosed or unfolded; become manifest)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Also:

break out (start abruptly)

break through (penetrate)

Sense 13

Meaning:

Prevent completion

Example:

break off the negotiations

Synonyms:

break; break off; discontinue; stop

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

end; terminate (bring to an end or halt)

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

fracture (become fractured)

bog; bog down (get stuck while doing something)

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

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 14

Meaning:

Terminate

Example:

break the cycle of poverty

Synonyms:

break; interrupt

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

end; terminate (bring to an end or halt)

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

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

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

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

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 15

Meaning:

Lessen in force or effect

Example:

break a fall

Synonyms:

break; damp; dampen; soften; weaken

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

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

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

deafen (make soundproof)

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

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 16

Meaning:

Stop operating or functioning

Example:

her eyesight went after the accident

Synonyms:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

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

Verb group:

break (render inoperable or ineffective)

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

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

crash; go down (stop operating)

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

misfire (fail to fire or detonate)

malfunction; misfunction (fail to function or function improperly)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence example:

These cars won't break

Derivation:

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)

Sense 17

Meaning:

Change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another

Example:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

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

Sentence frame:

Meaning:

Undergo breaking

Example:

The simple vowels broke in many Germanic languages

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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

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

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 22

Meaning:

Interrupt the flow of current in

Example:

break a circuit

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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

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

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

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

Sense 23

Meaning:

Cease an action temporarily

Example:

let's break for lunch

Synonyms:

break; intermit; pause

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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

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

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

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

take five (take a break for five minutes)

take ten (take a ten minute break)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

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

Sense 24

Meaning:

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

Example:

The newspaper uncovered the President's illegal dealings

Synonyms:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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

tell (let something be known)

Cause:

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

Verb group:

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

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

blackwash (bring (information) out of concealment)

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

blow (cause to be revealed and jeopardized)

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

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

spring (produce or disclose suddenly or unexpectedly)

betray; bewray (reveal unintentionally)

confide (reveal in private; tell confidentially)

leak (tell anonymously)

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

reveal (disclose directly or through prophets)

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 25

Meaning:

Be released or become known; of news

Example:

News of her death broke in the morning

Synonyms:

break; get around; get out

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Verb group:

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

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

leak; leak out (be leaked)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 26

Meaning:

Surpass in excellence

Example:

break a record

Synonyms:

better; break

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

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

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 27

Meaning:

Pierce or penetrate

Example:

The blade broke her skin

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

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

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

Verb group:

break (become punctured or penetrated)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 28

Meaning:

Become punctured or penetrated

Example:

The skin broke

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Verb group:

break (pierce or penetrate)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 29

Meaning:

Break a piece from a whole

Example:

break a branch from a tree

Synonyms:

break; break off; snap off

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

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

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)

breakage (the act of breaking something)

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

Sense 30

Meaning:

Go to pieces

Example:

The old chair finally fell apart completely

Synonyms:

break; bust; fall apart; wear; wear out

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

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

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

Verb group:

break; bust (ruin completely)

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

fray; frazzle (wear away by rubbing)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Also:

break apart (break violently or noisily; smash)

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

break up (break violently or noisily; smash)

Derivation:

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)

Sense 31

Meaning:

Ruin completely

Example:

He busted my radio!

Synonyms:

break; bust

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

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

destroy; ruin (destroy completely; damage irreparably)

Cause:

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

Verb group:

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

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

break down (cause to fall or collapse)

Sentence frames:

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

Antonym:

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

Also:

break up (take apart into its constituent pieces)

break up (set or keep apart)

break off (break a small piece off from)

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

break apart (take apart into its constituent pieces)

Derivation:

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)

breakage (the act of breaking something)

Sense 32

Meaning:

Separate from a clinch, in boxing

Example:

The referee broke the boxers

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

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

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 33

Meaning:

Make the opening shot that scatters the balls

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

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

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

Domain category:

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

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

Sense 34

Meaning:

Destroy the completeness of a set of related items

Example:

The book dealer would not break the set

Synonyms:

break; break up

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

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

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

Verb group:

break (exchange for smaller units of money)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

breakable (capable of being broken or damaged)

Sense 35

Meaning:

Exchange for smaller units of money

Example:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

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

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

Verb group:

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 36

Meaning:

Force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up

Example:

erupt in anger

Synonyms:

break; burst; erupt

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

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

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 37

Meaning:

Do a break dance

Example:

Kids were break-dancing at the street corner

Synonyms:

break; break-dance; break dance

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

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

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue break

Sense 38

Meaning:

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

Example:

The surf broke

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

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

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

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

breaker (waves breaking on the shore)

Sense 39

Meaning:

Break down, literally or metaphorically

Example:

The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice

Synonyms:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

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

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

Verb group:

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

burst; collapse (cause to burst)

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

go off; implode (burst inward)

buckle; crumple (fold or collapse)

flop (fall loosely)

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

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

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 40

Meaning:

Emerge from the surface of a body of water

Example:

The whales broke

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

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

appear (come into sight or view)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 41

Meaning:

Scatter or part

Example:

The clouds broke after the heavy downpour

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

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

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

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 42

Meaning:

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

Example:

The ranks broke

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

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

flee; fly; take flight (run away quickly)

Verb group:

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

Domain category:

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

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 43

Meaning:

Move away or escape suddenly

Example:

Nobody can break out--this prison is high security

Synonyms:

break; break away; break out

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

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

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

Verb group:

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

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

break (an escape from jail)

Sense 44

Meaning:

Change directions suddenly

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

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

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

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 45

Meaning:

Reduce to bankruptcy

Example:

The slump in the financial markets smashed him

Synonyms:

bankrupt; break; ruin; smash

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

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

impoverish (make poor)

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 46

Meaning:

Assign to a lower position; reduce in rank

Example:

He was broken down to Sergeant

Synonyms:

break; bump; demote; kick downstairs; relegate

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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

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

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

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

reduce (bring to humbler or weaker state or condition)

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 47

Meaning:

Discontinue an association or relation; go different ways

Example:

My friend and I split up

Synonyms:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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

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

break apart; disunify (break up or separate)

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

break with (end a relationship)

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

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

break; break away (interrupt a continued activity)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

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

Sense 48

Meaning:

Invalidate by judicial action

Example:

The will was broken

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 49

Meaning:

Interrupt a continued activity

Example:

She had broken with the traditional patterns

Synonyms:

break; break away

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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

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

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

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

Sense 50

Meaning:

Cause the failure or ruin of

Example:

This play will either make or break the playwright

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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

ruin (destroy or cause to fail)

Sentence frames:

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

Antonym:

make (assure the success of)

Sense 51

Meaning:

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

Example:

break a promise

Synonyms:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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

disrespect (show a lack of respect for)

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

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

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

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

trespass (break the law)

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Antonym:

keep (conform one's action or practice to)

Sense 52

Meaning:

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

Example:

who broke into my account last night?

Synonyms:

break; break in

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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

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

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

crack (gain unauthorized access computers with malicious intentions)

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 53

Meaning:

Happen or take place

Example:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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

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

Domain usage:

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

Sentence frame:

Meaning:

Come to an end

Example:

The heat wave finally broke yesterday

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

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

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

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Credits

Context examples:

Then he broke into a low laugh and put his lips to my ear.

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

“Do you not see, sir, it is broken? much as if a man had stamped on it.”

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

He seems to have broken through the shrubbery and made for the road.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

These last I broke through with a sudden jerk, and then regained the deck by the starboard shrouds.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

When the sailors saw this and that their return to their native country was apparently assured, a shout of tumultuous joy broke from them, loud and long-continued.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

“Why, what the—” and she broke into such language as I had never heard from a man’s lips before.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

At times, too, when the wild fit was upon her, she would break into pertness and rebel openly against Alleyne's gentle firmness.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The MOF that Teplensky and team selected breaks down into harmless components that are easily recycled by the cell without harmful side effects.

(Nanoparticles used to transport anti-cancer agent to cells, University of Cambridge)

RAD51, a homologue of bacterial RecA, assists in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs).

(Abexinostat, NCI Thesaurus)

In most patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), the part of chromosome 9 with c-ABL has broken off and traded places with part of chromosome 22 to form the BCR-ABL fusion gene.

(ABL1 wt Allele, NCI Dictionary)

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