brake [1]
n
a often pl a device for slowing or stopping a vehicle, wheel, shaft, etc., or for keeping it stationary, esp. by means of friction
See also →
drum brake →
disc brake →
hydraulic brake →
air brake →
handbrake
b (as modifier)
the brake pedal
2 a machine or tool for crushing or breaking flax or hemp to separate the fibres
3 (Also called)
brake harrow a heavy harrow for breaking up clods
5 short for →
shooting brake
6 (Also spelt)
break an open four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage
7 an obsolete word for the rack (an instrument of torture)
vb
8 to slow down or cause to slow down, by or as if by using a brake
9 tr to crush or break up using a brake (C18: from Middle Dutch braeke; related to breken to break) ♦
brakeless adj
break
vb , breaks, breaking, broke, broken
1 to separate or become separated into two or more pieces
this cup is broken
2 to damage or become damaged so as to be inoperative
my radio is broken
3 to crack or become cracked without separating
4 to burst or cut the surface of (skin, etc.)
5 to discontinue or become discontinued
they broke for lunch, to break a journey
6 to disperse or become dispersed
the clouds broke
7 tr to fail to observe (an agreement, promise, law, etc.)
to break one's word
8 foll by: with to discontinue an association (with)
9 to disclose or be disclosed
he broke the news gently
10 tr to fracture (a bone) in (a limb, etc.)
11 tr to divide (something complete or perfect)
to break a set of books
12 to bring or come to an end
the summer weather broke at last
13 tr to bring to an end by or as if by force
to break a strike
14 when intr, often foll by: out to escape (from)
he broke jail, he broke out of jail
15 to weaken or overwhelm or be weakened or overwhelmed, as in spirit
16 tr to cut through or penetrate
a cry broke the silence
17 tr to improve on or surpass
to break a record
18 tr; often foll by: in to accustom (a horse) to the bridle and saddle, to being ridden, etc
19 tr; often foll by: of to cause (a person) to give up (a habit)
this cure will break you of smoking
20 tr to weaken the impact or force of
this net will break his fall
21 tr to decipher
to break a code
22 tr to lose the order of
to break ranks
23 tr to reduce to poverty or the state of bankruptcy
24 when intr, foll by: into to obtain, give, or receive smaller units in exchange for; change
to break a pound note
25 tr (Chiefly military) to demote to a lower rank
26 intr; often foll by: from or out of to proceed suddenly
27 intr to come into being
light broke over the mountains
28 intr; foll by: into or out into to burst into song, laughter, etc
29 tr to open with explosives
to break a safe
a often foll by: against to strike violently
b to collapse into foam or surf
31 intr (esp. of fish) to appear above the surface of the water
32 intr (of the amniotic fluid surrounding an unborn baby) to be released when the amniotic sac ruptures in the first stage of labour
her waters have broken
33 intr
Informal (chiefly U.S.) to turn out in a specified manner
things are breaking well
34 intr (of prices, esp. stock exchange quotations) to fall sharply
35 intr to make a sudden effort, as in running, horse racing, etc
36 intr (Cricket) (of a ball) to change direction on bouncing
37 tr (Cricket) (of a player) to knock down at least one bail from (a wicket)
38 intr (Billiards, snooker) to scatter the balls at the start of a game
39 intr (Horse racing) to commence running in a race
they broke even
40 intr (Boxing, wrestling) (of two fighters) to separate from a clinch
a (of the male voice) to undergo a change in register, quality, and range at puberty
b (of the voice or some instruments) to undergo a change in tone, quality, etc., when changing registers
42 intr (Phonetics) (of a vowel) to turn into a diphthong, esp. as a development in the language
43 tr to open the breech of (certain firearms) by snapping the barrel away from the butt on its hinge
44 tr to interrupt the flow of current in (an electrical circuit)
Compare →
make 1 →
27
45 intr
Informal (chiefly U.S.) to become successful; make a breakthrough
a to eat a meal, esp. with others
b (Christianity) to administer or participate in Holy Communion
47 ♦
break camp to pack up equipment and leave a camp
48 ♦
break (new) ground to do something that has not been done before
49. break one's back or (taboo) balls to overwork or work very hard
50 ♦
break the back of to complete the greatest or hardest part of (a task)
51 ♦
break the bank to ruin financially or deplete the resources of a bank (as in gambling)
a to relieve shyness or reserve, esp. between strangers
b to be the first of a group to do something
53 ♦
break the mould to make a change that breaks an established habit, pattern, etc
54 ♦
break service (Tennis) to win a game in which an opponent is serving
55 ♦
break wind to emit wind from the anus
n
56 the act or result of breaking; fracture
57 a crack formed as the result of breaking
58 a brief respite or interval between two actions
a break from one's toil
59 a sudden rush, esp. to escape
to make a break for freedom
60 a breach in a relationship
she has made a break from her family
61 any sudden interruption in a continuous action
62 (Brit) a short period between classes at school, (U.S. and Canadian equivalent)
recess
63 Informal a fortunate opportunity, esp. to prove oneself
64 Informal a piece of (good or bad) luck
65 (esp. in a stock exchange) a sudden and substantial decline in prices
66 (Prosody) a pause in a line of verse; caesura
a a series of successful shots during one turn
b the points scored in such a series
a the opening shot with the cue ball that scatters the placed balls
b the right to take this first shot
69 (Also called)
service break, break of serve (Tennis) the act or instance of breaking an opponent's service
70 one of the intervals in a sporting contest
71 (Horse racing) the start of a race
an even break
72 (in tenpin bowling) failure to knock down all the pins after the second attempt
a (Jazz) a short usually improvised solo passage
b an instrumental passage in a pop song
74 a discontinuity in an electrical circuit
75 access to a radio channel by a citizen's band operator
76 a variant spelling of →
brake 1 →
6
interj
77 (Boxing, wrestling) a command by a referee for two opponents to separate, (See also)
→
breakaway →
break down →
break even →
break in →
break into →
break off →
break out →
break through →
break up →
break with
(Old English brecan; related to Old Frisian breka, Gothic brikan, Old High German brehhan, Latin frangere Sanskrit bhráj bursting forth)
break dance
n
1 an acrobatic dance style of the 1980s
vb
♦
break-dance
2 intr to perform a break dance
♦
break dancer n
♦
break dancing n
break down
vb adv
1 intr to cease to function; become ineffective
communications had broken down
2 to yield or cause to yield, esp. to strong emotion or tears
she broke down in anguish
4 intr to have a nervous breakdown
5 to analyse or be subjected to analysis
6 to separate or cause to separate into simpler chemical elements; decompose
7 tr (N.Z.) to saw (a large log) into planks
8 ♦
break it down (Austral. and N.Z.)
informal
b don't expect me to believe that; come off it
n
♦
breakdown
9 an act or instance of breaking down; collapse
10 short for →
nervous breakdown
11 an analysis or classification of something into its component parts
he prepared a breakdown of the report
12 the sudden electrical discharge through an insulator or between two electrodes in a vacuum or gas discharge tube
13 (Electrical engineering) the sudden transition, dependent on the bias magnitude, from a high to a low dynamic resistance in a semiconductor device
14 a lively American country dance
break even
vb
1 intr, adv to attain a level of activity, as in commerce, or a point of operation, as in gambling, at which there is neither profit nor loss
n
♦
breakeven
a the level of commercial activity at which the total cost and total revenue of a business enterprise are equal
b (as modifier)
breakeven prices
break feeding
n (N.Z.) the feeding of animals on paddocks where feeding space is controlled by the frequent movement of an electric fence
break in
vb adv
1 sometimes foll by: on to interrupt
2 intr to enter a house, etc., illegally, esp. by force
3 tr to accustom (a person or animal) to normal duties or practice
4 tr to use or wear (shoes, new equipment, etc.) until comfortable or running smoothly
5 tr (Austral. and N.Z.) to bring (new land) under cultivation
n
♦
break-in
a the illegal entering of a building, esp. by thieves
b (as modifier)
the break-in plans
break into
vb intr, prep
1 to enter (a house, etc.) illegally, esp. by force
2 to change abruptly from a slower to a faster speed
the horse broke into a gallop
3 to consume (supplies held in reserve)
at the end of the exercise the soldiers had to break into their iron rations
break of day
n another term for →
dawn →
1
break off
vb
1 to sever or detach or be severed or detached
it broke off in my hands, he broke a piece off the bar of chocolate
2 adv to end (a relationship, association, etc.) or (of a relationship, etc.) to be ended
3 intr, adv to stop abruptly; halt
he broke off in the middle of his speech
n
♦
breakoff
4 the act or an instance of breaking off or stopping
break out
vb intr, adv
1 to begin or arise suddenly
panic broke out
2 to make an escape, esp. from prison or confinement
3 foll by: in (of the skin) to erupt (in a rash, pimples, etc.)
n
♦
break-out
4 an escape, esp. from prison or confinement
break point
n (Tennis) a point which allows the receiving player to break the service of the server
break through
vb
2 intr, adv to achieve success, make a discovery, etc., esp. after lengthy efforts
n
♦
breakthrough
3 a significant development or discovery, esp. in science
4 the penetration of an enemy's defensive position or line in depth and strength
break up
vb adv
1 to separate or cause to separate
2 to put an end to (a relationship) or (of a relationship) to come to an end
3 to dissolve or cause to dissolve; disrupt or be disrupted
the meeting broke up at noon
4 intr (Brit) (of a school) to close for the holidays
5 Informal to lose or cause to lose control of the emotions
the news of his death broke her up
6 Slang to be or cause to be overcome with laughter
n
♦
break-up
7 a separation or disintegration
break-up value
n (Commerce)
1 the value of an organization assuming that it will not continue to trade
2 the value of a share in a company based only on the value of its assets
break with
vb intr, prep to end a relationship or association with (someone or an organization or social group)
commercial break
n an interruption in a radio or television programme for the broadcasting of advertisements
leg break
n (Cricket) a bowled ball that spins from leg to off on pitching
off break
n (Cricket) a bowled ball that spins from off to leg on pitching
tea break
n (Brit) a short rest period during working hours during which tea, coffee, etc. is drunk
tie-break , tie-breaker
n
1 (Tennis) a method of deciding quickly the result of a set drawn at six-all, usually involving the playing of one deciding game for the best of twelve points in which the service changes after every two points
2 any contest or game played to decide a winner when contestants have tied scores