break

/breɪk/ verb (past tense broke, past participle broken)

Definition

SEPARATE [I, T] › to separate into two or more pieces, or to make something separate into two or more pieces: The vase fell on the floor and broke. They had to break a window to get in.

break your arm/leg, etc › to damage a bone in your arm/leg, etc: Carolyn broke her leg in a skiing accident.

NOT WORK [I, T] › If you break a machine, object, etc, or if it breaks, it stops working because it is damaged: Who broke the video?

break an agreement/promise/rule, etc › to not do what you should do according to an agreement/promise/rule, etc: Police stopped him for breaking the speed limit.

break the law › to do something illegal

break the news to sb › to tell someone about something unpleasant that has happened: Who's going to break the news to his wife?

break the silence › to make a noise, speak, etc and end a period of silence: The silence was broken by a sudden knock at the door.

break a habit/routine, etc › to stop doing something that you usually do

break a record › to do something faster, better, etc than anyone else: He broke the world record for the 200m.

REST [I, T] › to stop the activity you are doing to have a short rest: Let's break for five minutes and have a drink.

BECOME KNOWN [I, T] › If news or a story breaks, or if someone breaks it, it becomes known by the public for the first time.

WEATHER [I] UK › If the weather breaks, it changes suddenly, and usually becomes worse.

VOICE [I] › When a boy's voice breaks, it becomes deeper and sounds like a man's voice.

WAVE [I] › When a wave breaks, it reaches its highest point as it moves towards the land, and then becomes flat and white.

STORM [I] › If a storm breaks, it starts suddenly.

break free/loose › to suddenly escape or become separate from something: The prisoner broke free while the guards weren't looking.

dawn/day breaks › When dawn (= early morning)/day breaks, the sky becomes lighter because the sun is rising: Dawn was breaking and the birds were singing. → See also break new ground → See also break sb's heart → See also break the ice → See also break the mould → See also break ranks

(Definition of break verb from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)