wikipedia
English

rank|authority|pleasant|forget|862|break|Roman|wise|watch

Etymology
OE. brecan. Compare Dutch breken, German brechen, and Gothic brikan. Cognate with Latin frangere (to break).

Pronunciation
AHD|/br�k/, IPA|/bɹeɪk/, SAMPA|/breIk/
audio|en-us-break.ogg|Audio (US)
Rhymes: Rhymes:English:-eɪk|-eɪk

Homophones
brake

Verb
en-verb|breaks|breaking|broke|broken

1. intransitive To end up in two or more pieces that can't easily be reassembled.

#: If the vase falls to the floor, it might break.

1. intransitive medicine Of a bone, to crack or fracture through a sudden physical strain, such as a collision.

#: Don't slip and break your leg.

1. intransitive To stop functioning properly or altogether.

#: Don't break the fridge with your tools.

1. intransitive To interrupt or cease one's work or occupation temporarily.

#: Let's break for lunch.

1. intransitive tennis To win a game as receiver.
2. intransitive context|sports|billiards|snooker|pool To make the first shot.

#: Is it your or my turn to break?

1. transitive To cause to end up in two or more pieces.

#: I am going to break your mask.

1. transitive medicine ergative Of a bone, to cause to crack under physical strain.

#: Don't try to break his neck.

1. transitive medicine ergative Of a bone, to fracture accidentally.

#: Don't break your fingers playing basketball.

1. transitive ergative To cause to malfunction or stop working altogether.

#: Did you two break the trolley by racing with it?

1. transitive To cause a person or animal to lose his/her/its will, usually obtained by means of torture.

#: You have to break an elephant before you can use it as an animal of burden.
#: America has used many forms of torture to break their POWs.

1. transitive To do that which is forbidden by (a rule or rules).

#: When you go to Vancouver, promise me you won't break the law.

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

#: Letting white have three extra queens would break chess.

1. transitive media ergative to disclose or make known an item of news etc

Synonyms
i-c|intransitive: end up in two or more pieces burst, bust, shatter, shear, smash, split
i-c|intransitive: of a bone crack, fracture
i-c|intransitive: stop functioning break down, bust, fail, go down (of a computer or computer network)
i-c|intransitive: interrupt interrupt, pause
i-c|transitive: cause to end up in two or more pieces shatter, smash
i-c|transitive: of a bone|intentionally crack, fracture
i-c|transitive: of a bone|accidentally crack, fracture
i-c|transitive: cause to malfunction or stop working altogether bust
i-c|transitive: cause a person or animal to lose his/her/its will subject, tame
i-c|transitive: do that which is forbidden by contravene, go against, violate

Antonyms
i-c|intransitive: interrupt carry on, continue, go on, restart, resume
i-c|transitive: cause to end up in two or more pieces assemble, join, mend, put together, repair

Derived terms
top3
breakage
break a leg
break apart
break away
break down
<!--the noun "breakdown" is derived from the verb "break down"-->
breaker
break even
break in
mid3
break into
break new ground
break off
break open
break out<!--phrasal verb-->
<!--the noun "break-out" is derived from the verb "break out"-->
break ranks
mid3
break someone's heart
break stride
break the ice
break through<!--phrasal verb-->
<!--the noun "breakthrough" is derived from the verb "break through"-->
break up<!--phrasal verb-->
<!--the noun "break-up" is derived from the verb "break up"-->
break wind
make-or-break
bottom3

See also
breaking
broke
broken

Translations
trans-top|intransitive: end up in two or more pieces that cannot easily be reassembled
Czech: t-|cs|zlomit se
Danish: gå i stykker, gå itu
Dutch: t+|nl|breken
Esperanto: t-|eo|rompi|xs=Esperanto
Finnish: t-|fi|hajota
French: se rompre, se casser, se briser
German: zerbrechen, kaputtgehen
Hebrew: ���ש�ר (le'hishaver)
Hungarian: törik, eltörik
Japanese: ��� (wareru), ���� (chirabaru)
trans-mid
Korean: ���� (bureojida)
Portuguese: quebrar, partir, romper (if flexible material)
Romanian: a (se) frânge, a (se) rupe
Russian: �азбива����/�азби���� (razbivát's'a/razbít's'a)
Slovene: zlomiti se (two pieces), razbiti se (more pieces)
Spanish: t+|es|romper
Swedish: gå sönder
Telugu: విర��� (virucu), విర������� (viragagoTTu)
trans-bottom

trans-top|intransitive: of a bone
Czech: t-|cs|zlomit si
Danish: brække
Dutch: t+|nl|breken
Esperanto: panei
Finnish: murtua
French: se casser
German: t+|de|brechen
Hebrew: ���ש�ר (le'hishaver)
Hungarian: eltörik
trans-mid
Italian: t+|it|rompere
Japanese: ����� (hibi-ga-hairu), ��� (oreru)
Korean: ���� (bureojida)
Portuguese: t+|pt|quebrar, t+|pt|partir
Romanian: a (se) frânge
Russian: лома����/�лома���� (lomát's'a/slomát's'a)
Slovene: zlomiti se
Swedish: brytas
trans-bottom

trans-top|intransitive: stop functioning properly or altogether
Danish: gå i stykker, gå itu
Dutch: stukgaan, kapotgaan
Finnish: hajota, mennä rikki
French: se casser
German: kaputtgehen
Hebrew: ��תק�ק� (le'hitqalqel)
Hungarian: elromlik
Japanese: ��� (kowareru)
trans-mid
Korean: ���� (buseojida)
Portuguese: t+|pt|quebrar, t+|pt|partir
Russian: лома����/�лома���� (lomát's'a/slomát's'a)
Slovene: pokvariti se
Swedish: gå sönder
Swahili: kuvunjika
Telugu: ��డిప�వ� (ceDipOvu)
trans-bottom

trans-top|intransitive: interrupt or cease one's work or occupation temporarily
Danish: holde pause
Dutch: pauzeren
Finnish: pitää tauko
Japanese: ���� (kyūkei-suru)
trans-mid
Korean: �� (swida)
Portuguese: pausar
Russian: дела��/�дела�� пе�е��в (d'élat'/sd'élat' p'er'erýv)
Swedish: avbryta, bryta
trans-bottom

trans-top|intransitive: tennis
Danish: bryde
Japanese: ������� (bur�ku-wo-toru)
trans-mid
Korean: �� (swida)
trans-bottom

trans-top|intransitive: billiards
Japanese: ������ (bur�ku-suru)
Korean: �� (swida)
trans-mid
Swedish: t+|sv|spränga
trans-bottom

Portuguese: puebrar, partir, romper (if flexible)
Romanian: rupe, frânge
Russian: �азбива��/�азби�� (razbivát'/razbít')
Slovene: zlomiti (two pieces), razbiti (more pieces)
Spanish: t+|es|romper, t+|es|quebrar
Swedish: bryta, ta sönder (deliberately), ha sönder (involunterally) (familiar), slå sönder (violently)
trans-bottom

trans-top|transitive: of a bone, intentionally
Danish: brække
Dutch: t+|nl|breken
Finnish: t-|fi|murtaa, t+|fi|katkaista, t+|fi|taittaa
French: t+|fr|casser
German: t+|de|brechen
Hebrew: �ש��ר (lishbor)
Hungarian: eltör
trans-mid
Japanese: ����� (hibi-ga-hairu), ��� (oreru)
Korean: ���리� (bureotteurida)
Portuguese: t+|pt|quebrar, t+|pt|partir
Romanian: frânge
Russian: лома��/�лома�� (lomát'/slomát')
Slovene: t+|sl|zlomiti
Swedish: t+|sv|bryta
trans-bottom

trans-top|transitive: of a bone, accidentally
Danish: brække
Dutch: t+|nl|breken
Finnish: t-|fi|murtaa, t+|fi|katkaista, t+|fi|taittaa
French: se casser
German: t+|de|brechen
Hebrew: �ש��ר (lishbor)
Hungarian: eltör
trans-mid
Japanese: ����� (hibi-ga-hairu), ��� (oreru)
Korean: ���리� (bureotteurida)
Portuguese: t+|pt|quebrar, t+|pt|partir
Russian: лома��/�лома�� (lomát'/slomát')
Slovene: t+|sl|zlomiti
Swedish: t+|sv|bryta
trans-bottom

trans-top|transitive: cause to malfunction
Danish: ødelægge, smadre
Dutch: kapotmaken
Finnish: t+|fi|rikkoa, t-|fi|särkeä
French: t+|fr|casser
German: kaputtmachen
Hebrew: �ש��ר (lishbor)
Hungarian: elront
trans-mid
Japanese: �� (kowasu), 破��� (hakai-suru)
Korean: ��� (busuda)
Portuguese: estragar, partir
Russian: лома��/�лома�� (lomát'/slomát')
Slovene: t-|sl|pokvariti
Swedish: ha sönder, ta sönder
Swahili: kuvunja
trans-bottom

trans-top|transitive: cause a person or animal to lose his/her/its will
Danish: knække, knuse
Dutch: t+|nl|breken
Finnish: kesyttää, murtaa, nujertaa
French: t+|fr|briser
German: t+|de|brechen
Hebrew: �ש��ר (lishbor)
Hungarian: elkedvtelenít
trans-mid
Japanese: �� (kowasu), 破��� (hakai-suru)
Korean: 꺾� (kkeokkda)
Portuguese: t+|pt|quebrar
Russian: лома��/�лома�� (lomát'/slomát')
Slovene: t+|sl|zlomiti
Swedish: bryta ned
trans-bottom

trans-top|transitive: do that which is forbidden by (a rule or rules)
Danish: bryde, krænke
Dutch: breken, overtreden
Finnish: t+|fi|rikkoa
French: outrepasser
German: t+|de|brechen
Hebrew: ��פר (le'hafer)
Hungarian: megszeg
trans-mid
Japanese: 破� (yaburu), �� (okasu)
Korean: 깨� (kkaeda)
Portuguese: desrespeitar, violar
Russian: нао��а��/на���и�� (narušát'/narúšit')
Slovene: prekršiti
Swedish: t+|sv|bryta
Telugu: �తి��రమి��� (atikramiMcu), మ�ర� (meeru)(హద�ద�మ�ర�)
trans-bottom

trans-top|transitive: gaming slang: to design or make (a legal but unfair move)
Danish: ødelægge
trans-mid
Korean: ���리� (jankkoe-burida)
trans-bottom

trans-top|transitive: media: to disclose or make known an item of news etc
Korean: ��리� (kkaballida)
trans-mid
trans-bottom

Translations to be checked
<!--Remove this section once all of the translations below have been moved into the tables above.-->
checktrans

ttbc|Chumash (Inezeño): kʼot
ttbc|Indonesian: pecah|memecah, pecah|memecahkan, rusak|merusak
ttbc|Irish: bris#Irish|bris
ttbc|Latin: rumpere, frangere
ttbc|Spanish: romper#Spanish|romper

Noun
en-noun

1. countable An instance of breaking something into two pieces.

#: The femur has a clean break and so should heal easily.

1. countable A physical space that open up|opens up in something or between two things.

#: The sun came out in a break in the clouds.

1. countable A rest or pause, usually from work.

#: Let�s take a five-minute break.

1. countable tennis (tennis) A game won by the receive|receiving player or players (in case of a double).
2. countable context|billiards The first shot in a game of billiards
3. countable context|snooker The number of points scored by one player in one visit to the table
4. countable surfing Place where waves break (ie. pitch or spill forward creating white water).

#: 2005: The final break in the Greenmount area is Kirra Point. &mdash; coolangatta.net ¹

Synonyms
i-c|instance of breaking something into two pieces split
i-c|physical space that opens up in something or between two things breach, gap, space
i-c|rest or pause|usually from work time out

Derived terms
beach break
break of day
daybreak
give someone a break<!--as in "give me a break!"-->
heartbreak
<!--"icebreaker" is derived from "break the ice"-->
jailbreak
point break
take a break

Translations
trans-top|instance of breaking something into two pieces
German: t+|de|Bruch|m
Hebrew: ש��ר� (shvira) f
trans-mid
Swedish: brott n
trans-bottom

trans-top|physical space that opens up in something or between two things
French: t+|fr|espace|m, t+|fr|ouverture|f
German: t+|de|�ffnung|f, t-|de|Spalt|m
trans-mid
Russian: �азлом (razlóm)
Japanese: ��� (wareme), �� (sukima)
trans-bottom

trans-top|rest or pause, usually from work
Czech: t-|cs|p�estávka|f, t-|cs|pauza|f
Esperanto: paÅ­zi
Finnish: t+|fi|tauko
French: t+|fr|pause|f
German: t-|de|Pause|f
Italian: t+|it|pausa|f
trans-mid
Japanese: �� (kyūkei)
Polish: przerwa
Russian: пе�е��в (p'e'rerýv)
Slovenian: odmor
Swedish: avbrott n, rast c, paus c
trans-bottom

trans-top|in tennis
German: t-|de|Break|n
Japanese: ���� (bur�ku)
trans-mid
Swedish: t+|sv|break|n
trans-bottom

trans-top|in billiards
Japanese: ���� (bur�ku)
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|in snooker
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|in surfing
trans-mid
trans-bottom

Category:English ergative verbs
Category:English homophones
Category:English irregular verbs

ar:break
de:break
el:break
es:break
fr:break
gl:break
ko:break
hy:break
io:break
it:break
ku:break
hu:break
ja:break
pl:break
pt:break
ru:break
simple:break
fi:break
sv:break
ta:break
te:break
vi:break
tr:break
uk:break
zh:break

• 2007-12-10 13:11 - Algrif - templt change

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