break

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dictionary	A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

break > 74 senses
NOUN	1	break, interruption	Some abrupt occurrence that interrupts
	2	break, good luck, happy chance	An unexpected piece of good luck
	3	break, fault, geological fault, shift, fracture	(geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other
	4	break, rupture, breach, severance, rift, falling out	A personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)
	5	break, respite, recess, time out	A pause from doing something (as work)
	6	break, breakage, breaking	The act of breaking something
	7	break, pause, intermission, interruption, suspension	A time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
	8	break, fracture	Breaking of hard tissue such as bone
	9	break	The occurrence of breaking
	10	break	The opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool
	11	break, break of serve	(tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving
	12	break, interruption, disruption, gap	An act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
	13	break	A sudden dash
	14	break, open frame	Any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare
	15	break, breakout, jailbreak, gaolbreak, prisonbreak, prison-breaking	An escape from jail
VERB	1	break, interrupt	Terminate
	2	break, separate, split up, fall apart, come apart	Become separated into pieces or fragments
	3	break	Destroy the integrity of
	4	break	Render inoperable or ineffective
	5	break, bust	Ruin completely
	6	break, transgress, offend, infract, violate, go against, breach	Act in disregard of laws and rules
	7	break, break out, break away	Move away or escape suddenly
	8	break	Scatter or part
	9	break, burst, erupt	Force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up
	10	break, break off, discontinue, stop	Prevent completion
	11	break, break in	Enter someone's property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act
	12	break, break in	Make submissive, obedient, or useful
	13	break, violate, go against	Fail to agree with
	14	break, better	Surpass in excellence
	15	break, disclose, let on, bring out, reveal, discover, expose, divulge, impart, give away, let out	Make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
	16	break	Come into being
	17	break, fail, go bad, give way, die, give out, conk out, go, break down	Stop operating or functioning
	18	break, break away	Interrupt a continued activity
	19	break	Make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing
	20	break	Curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves
	21	break, dampen, damp, soften, weaken	Lessen in force or effect
	22	break	Be broken in
	23	break	Come to an end
	24	break	Vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity
	25	break	Cause to give up a habit
	26	break	Give up
	27	break	Come forth or begin from a state of latency
	28	break	Happen or take place
	29	break	Cause the failure or ruin of
	30	break	Invalidate by judicial action
	31	break, separate, part, split up, split, break up	Discontinue an association or relation
	32	break, demote, bump, relegate, kick downstairs	Assign to a lower position
	33	break, bankrupt, ruin, smash	Reduce to bankruptcy
	34	break	Change directions suddenly
	35	break	Emerge from the surface of a body of water
	36	break, collapse, fall in, cave in, give, give way, founder	Break down, literally or metaphorically
	37	break, break dance, break-dance	Do a break dance
	38	break	Exchange for smaller units of money
	39	break, break up	Destroy the completeness of a set of related items
	40	break	Make the opening shot that scatters the balls
	41	break	Separate from a clinch, in boxing
	42	break, wear, wear out, bust, fall apart	Go to pieces
	43	break, break off, snap off	Break a piece from a whole
	44	break	Become punctured or penetrated
	45	break	Pierce or penetrate
	46	break, get out, get around	Be released or become known
	47	break, pause, intermit	Cease an action temporarily
	48	break	Interrupt the flow of current in
	49	break	Undergo breaking
	50	break	Find a flaw in
	51	break	Find the solution or key to
	52	break	Change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another
	53	break, recrudesce, develop	Happen
	54	break, crack, check	Become fractured
	55	break	Of the male voice in puberty
	56	break	Fall sharply
	57	break, fracture	Fracture a bone of
	58	break	Diminish or discontinue abruptly
	59	break	Weaken or destroy in spirit or body

break > pronunciation
Sounds	brey'k
Rhymes	ache, awake, backache, and 56 more rhymes in eyk at the HyperDic website...

break > noun 1, event
Meaning	Some abrupt occurrence that interrupts.
Examples	"there was a break in the action when a player was hurt"
Synonyms	interruption
Narrower	dislocation, disruption; punctuation; suspension, respite, reprieve, hiatus, abatement; eclipse, occultation
Broader	happening, occurrence, natural event
Verbs	break

break > noun 2, event
Meaning	An unexpected piece of good luck.
Examples	"he finally got his big break"
Synonyms	good luck, happy chance
Broader	accident, fortuity, chance event

break > noun 3, object
Meaning	(geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other.
Synonyms	fault, geological fault, shift, fracture
Category	geology
Parts	fault line
Narrower	Denali Fault; inclined fault; San Andreas Fault; strike-slip fault
Broader	crack, cleft, crevice, fissure, scissure
Verbs	break

break > noun 4, event
Meaning	A personal or social separation (as between opposing factions).
Examples	"they hoped to avoid a break in relations"
Synonyms	rupture, breach, severance, rift, falling out
Broader	separation, breakup, detachment
Verbs	break

break > noun 5, act
Meaning	A pause from doing something (as work).
Examples	"we took a 10-minute break"
Synonyms	respite, recess, time out
Narrower	spring break
Broader	pause
Verbs	break

break > noun 6, act
Meaning	The act of breaking something.
Examples	"the breakage was unavoidable"
Synonyms	breakage, breaking
Narrower	rupture; smashing, shattering; fracture, crack, cracking; chip, chipping, splintering
Broader	change of integrity
Verbs	break; break

break > noun 7, time
Meaning	A time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something.
Synonyms	pause, intermission, interruption, suspension
Narrower	lapse; blackout; caesura; dead air; delay, hold, time lag, postponement, wait; halftime; respite, rest, relief, rest period; time-out; letup, lull
Broader	time interval, interval
Verbs	break

break > noun 8, state
Meaning	Breaking of hard tissue such as bone.
Examples	"the break seems to have been caused by a fall"
Synonyms	fracture
Narrower	comminuted fracture; complete fracture; compound fracture, open fracture; compression fracture; depressed fracture; displaced fracture; fatigue fracture, stress fracture; hairline fracture, capillary fracture; incomplete fracture; impacted fracture; simple fracture, closed fracture
Broader	injury, hurt, harm, trauma
Verbs	break; break

break > noun 9, event
Meaning	The occurrence of breaking.
Examples	"the break in the dam threatened the valley"
Narrower	snap
Broader	separation, breakup, detachment
Verbs	break

break > noun 10, act
Meaning	The opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool.
Part of	billiards; pool, pocket billiards
Broader	stroke, shot
Verbs	break

break > noun 11, act
Meaning	(tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving.
Examples	"he was up two breaks in the second set"
Synonyms	break of serve
Category	tennis, lawn tennis
Broader	score

break > noun 12, act
Meaning	An act of delaying or interrupting the continuity.
Examples	"it was presented without commercial breaks"
Synonyms	interruption, disruption, gap
Narrower	cut-in, insert; cut-in, insert; interjection, interposition, interpolation, interpellation; breaking off, abruption; heckling, barracking
Broader	delay, holdup

break > noun 13, act
Meaning	A sudden dash.
Examples	"he made a break for the open door"
Narrower	fast break
Broader	dash, sprint

break > noun 14, act
Meaning	Any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare.
Examples	"the break in the eighth frame cost him the match"
Synonyms	open frame
Broader	score

break > noun 15, act
Meaning	An escape from jail.
Examples	"the breakout was carefully planned"
Synonyms	breakout, jailbreak, gaolbreak, prisonbreak, prison-breaking
Broader	escape, flight
Verbs	break

break > verb 1, change
Meaning	Terminate.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something
Examples	"break a lucky streak"; "break the cycle of poverty"
Synonyms	interrupt
Narrower	hold on, stop; cut short, break short, break off; freeze, suspend
Broader	end, terminate

break > verb 2, change
Meaning	Become separated into pieces or fragments.
Pattern	Something ----s
Model	The wooden sticks break; These glasses break easily
Synonyms	separate, split up, fall apart, come apart
Narrower	burst, split, break open; puncture; burst, bust; smash; ladder, run; snap, crack; break up, fragment, fragmentize, fragmentise; crush
Broader	change integrity
Similar to	break
See also	break up
Nouns	break; break; break

break > verb 3, change
Meaning	Destroy the integrity of. Usually by force. Cause to separate into pieces or fragments.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something
Model	The girls break the wooden sticks
Narrower	shatter; fracture; break in; smash, dash
Broader	separate, divide
Similar to	break, separate, split up, fall apart, come apart
Nouns	breakage, break; breaker

break > verb 4, change
Meaning	Render inoperable or ineffective.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something
Broader	damage
Similar to	fail, go bad, give way, die, give out, conk out, go, break, break down
Nouns	breakage

break > verb 5, contact
Meaning	Ruin completely.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something
Synonyms	bust
Cause to	break, wear, wear out, bust, fall apart
Narrower	break down
Broader	destroy, ruin
Contrary	repair, mend, fix, bushel, doctor, furbish up, restore, touch on
Similar to	break, wear, wear out, bust, fall apart
See also	break off; break up, break apart; break up; break down
Nouns	breakage

break > verb 6, social
Meaning	Act in disregard of laws and rules.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something
Examples	"break a law"
Synonyms	transgress, offend, infract, violate, go against, breach
Narrower	sin, transgress, trespass; sin, blunder, boob, goof; conflict, run afoul, infringe, contravene; trespass; trespass, intrude
Broader	disrespect

break > verb 7, motion
Meaning	Move away or escape suddenly.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Somebody ----s; Something is ----ing PP; Somebody ----s PP
Examples	"Nobody can break out--this prison is high security"
Synonyms	break out, break away
Broader	escape, get away, break loose
Similar to	break
Nouns	break

break > verb 8, motion
Meaning	Scatter or part.
Pattern	Something ----s
Broader	disperse, dissipate, scatter, spread out

break > verb 9, emotion
Meaning	Force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up.
Pattern	Somebody ----s PP
Examples	"break into tears"
Synonyms	burst, erupt
Broader	express emotion, express feelings

break > verb 10, change
Meaning	Prevent completion.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something
Examples	"break off the negociations"
Synonyms	break off, discontinue, stop
Narrower	fracture; bog down, bog; interrupt, disrupt, break up, cut off
Broader	end, terminate

break > verb 11, social
Meaning	Enter someone's property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act.
Pattern	Somebody ----s PP; Somebody ----s something
Synonyms	break in
Entailed by	burglarize, burglarise, burgle, heist
Broader	trespass, intrude

break > verb 12, change
Meaning	Make submissive, obedient, or useful.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Somebody ----s somebody
Examples	"The horse was tough to break"
Synonyms	break in
Cause to	break
Broader	domesticate, domesticize, domesticise, reclaim, tame
Similar to	break

break > verb 13, stative
Meaning	Fail to agree with. Be in violation of. As of rules or patterns.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something
Synonyms	violate, go against
Narrower	fly in the face of, fly in the teeth of
Contrary	conform to

break > verb 14, competition
Meaning	Surpass in excellence.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something
Examples	"break a record"
Synonyms	better
Broader	surpass, outstrip, outmatch, outgo, exceed, outdo, surmount, outperform

break > verb 15, communication
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.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something; Somebody ----s something to somebody; Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Synonyms	disclose, let on, bring out, reveal, discover, expose, divulge, impart, give away, let out
Cause to	break, get out, get around
Entailed by	sell out
Narrower	blackwash; muckrake; blow; out; come out of the closet, out, come out; spring; betray, bewray; confide; leak; spill the beans, let the cat out of the bag, talk, tattle, blab, peach, babble, sing, babble out, blab out; reveal
Broader	tell
Similar to	break, get out, get around

break > verb 16, change
Meaning	Come into being.
Pattern	Something ----s
Broader	become, go, get

break > verb 17, change
Meaning	Stop operating or functioning.
Pattern	Something ----s
Model	These cars won't break
Synonyms	fail, go bad, give way, die, give out, conk out, go, break down
Narrower	crash, go down; blow out, burn out, blow; misfire; malfunction, misfunction
Broader	change
Similar to	break; die, decease, perish, go, exit, pass away, expire, pass

break > verb 18, social
Meaning	Interrupt a continued activity.
Pattern	Something is ----ing PP; Somebody ----s PP
Synonyms	break away
Broader	separate, part, split up, split, break, break up
Nouns	break

break > verb 19, motion
Meaning	Make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing.
Pattern	Something ----s; Somebody ----s
Category	military, armed forces, armed services, military machine, war machine
Broader	flee, fly, take flight
Similar to	break, break out, break away

break > verb 20, motion
Meaning	Curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves.
Pattern	Something ----s
Broader	collapse, fall in, cave in, give, give way, break, founder
Participle	breaking
Nouns	breaker

break > verb 21, change
Meaning	Lessen in force or effect.
Pattern	Something ----s; Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something
Examples	"break a fall"
Synonyms	dampen, damp, soften, weaken
Narrower	deafen; dampen, deaden, damp
Broader	deaden, blunt

break > verb 22, change
Meaning	Be broken in.
Pattern	Somebody ----s
Examples	"If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress"
Caused by	break in, break
Broader	change
Similar to	break in, break

break > verb 23, stative
Meaning	Come to an end.
Pattern	Something ----s
Broader	end, stop, finish, terminate, cease

break > verb 24, stative
Meaning	Vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity.
Pattern	Something ----s something
Broader	change, alter, vary
Nouns	break

break > verb 25, stative
Meaning	Cause to give up a habit.
Pattern	Somebody ----s somebody
Cause to	break
Similar to	break

break > verb 26, stative
Meaning	Give up.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something
Examples	"break cigarette smoking"
Caused by	break
Broader	discontinue, stop, cease, give up, quit, lay off
Similar to	break

break > verb 27, stative
Meaning	Come forth or begin from a state of latency.
Pattern	Something is ----ing PP
Broader	come forth, emerge

break > verb 28, social
Meaning	Happen or take place.
Pattern	Something ----s
Examples	"Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months"
Broader	happen, hap, go on, pass off, occur, pass, fall out, come about, take place
Usage	colloquialism

break > verb 29, social
Meaning	Cause the failure or ruin of.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something
Examples	"This play will either make or break the playwright"
Broader	ruin
Contrary	make

break > verb 30, social
Meaning	Invalidate by judicial action.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something
Broader	invalidate, annul, quash, void, avoid, nullify

break > verb 31, social
Meaning	Discontinue an association or relation. Go different ways.
Pattern	Somebody ----s
Synonyms	separate, part, split up, split, break up
Narrower	give the axe, give the bounce, give the gate; disunify, break apart; disassociate, dissociate, divorce, disunite, disjoint; break with; divorce, split up; secede, splinter, break away; break, break away
Nouns	break

break > verb 32, social
Meaning	Assign to a lower position. Reduce in rank.
Pattern	Somebody ----s somebody; Somebody ----s something PP
Synonyms	demote, bump, relegate, kick downstairs
Narrower	reduce
Broader	delegate, designate, depute, assign
Contrary	promote, upgrade, advance, kick upstairs, raise, elevate

break > verb 33, possession
Meaning	Reduce to bankruptcy.
Pattern	Somebody ----s somebody; Something ----s somebody
Examples	"My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!"
Synonyms	bankrupt, ruin, smash
Broader	impoverish

break > verb 34, motion
Meaning	Change directions suddenly.
Pattern	Something ----s; Somebody ----s
Broader	switch, shift, change

break > verb 35, motion
Meaning	Emerge from the surface of a body of water.
Pattern	Something ----s
Broader	appear

break > verb 36, motion
Meaning	Break down, literally or metaphorically.
Pattern	Something ----s; Somebody ----s
Synonyms	collapse, fall in, cave in, give, give way, founder
Caused by	collapse, burst
Narrower	implode, go off; buckle, crumple; flop; break; slump, slide down, sink
Broader	change
Similar to	abandon, give up; collapse, burst

break > verb 37, motion
Meaning	Do a break dance.
Pattern	Somebody ----s
Model	Sam and Sue break
Examples	"Kids were break-dancing at the street corner"
Synonyms	break dance, break-dance
Broader	dance, trip the light fantastic, trip the light fantastic toe

break > verb 38, contact
Meaning	Exchange for smaller units of money.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something
Examples	"I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy"
Broader	change, exchange, commute, convert
Similar to	break, break up

break > verb 39, contact
Meaning	Destroy the completeness of a set of related items.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something
Examples	"The book dealer would not break the set"
Synonyms	break up
Broader	change, alter, modify
Similar to	break

break > verb 40, contact
Meaning	Make the opening shot that scatters the balls.
Pattern	Somebody ----s
Category	billiards
Broader	shoot
Nouns	break

break > verb 41, contact
Meaning	Separate from a clinch, in boxing.
Pattern	Somebody ----s somebody
Broader	separate, disunite, divide, part

break > verb 42, contact
Meaning	Go to pieces.
Pattern	Something ----s
Synonyms	wear, wear out, bust, fall apart
Caused by	break, bust
Entailed by	leak
Narrower	fray, frazzle
Broader	decay, crumble, delapidate
Similar to	break, bust
See also	break up, break apart; break away, break off

break > verb 43, contact
Meaning	Break a piece from a whole.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something
Examples	"break a branch from a tree"
Synonyms	break off, snap off
Broader	detach
Nouns	breakage; breaker

break > verb 44, contact
Meaning	Become punctured or penetrated.
Pattern	Something ----s
Similar to	break

break > verb 45, contact
Meaning	Pierce or penetrate.
Pattern	Something ----s something
Broader	penetrate, perforate
Similar to	break

break > verb 46, communication
Meaning	Be released or become known. Of news.
Pattern	Something ----s
Synonyms	get out, get around
Caused by	disclose, let on, bring out, reveal, discover, expose, divulge, impart, break, give away, let out; leak
Narrower	leak, leak out
Similar to	disclose, let on, bring out, reveal, discover, expose, divulge, impart, break, give away, let out

break > verb 47, communication
Meaning	Cease an action temporarily.
Pattern	Somebody ----s
Examples	"let's break for lunch"
Synonyms	pause, intermit
Narrower	rest, breathe, catch one's breath, take a breather; take five; take ten
Broader	interrupt, disrupt, break up, cut off
Nouns	break

break > verb 48, communication
Meaning	Interrupt the flow of current in.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something
Examples	"break a circuit"
Broader	interrupt, disrupt, break up, cut off
Nouns	breaker

break > verb 49, communication
Meaning	Undergo breaking.
Pattern	Something ----s
Broader	diphthongize, diphthongise

break > verb 50, cognition
Meaning	Find a flaw in.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something
Examples	"break an alibi"; "break down a proof"
Broader	destroy, ruin
Similar to	break

break > verb 51, cognition
Meaning	Find the solution or key to.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something
Examples	"break the code"
Broader	solve, work out, figure out, puzzle out, lick, work
Similar to	break

break > verb 52, change
Meaning	Change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another.
Pattern	Something ----s
Broader	switch, shift, change

break > verb 53, change
Meaning	Happen.
Pattern	Something ----s
Synonyms	recrudesce, develop
Broader	happen, hap, go on, pass off, occur, pass, fall out, come about, take place
Similar to	develop
See also	break through; break out

break > verb 54, change
Meaning	Become fractured. Break or crack on the surface only.
Pattern	Something ----s
Synonyms	crack, check
Narrower	crack
Broader	change
Similar to	check, chink; crack
Nouns	break

break > verb 55, change
Meaning	Of the male voice in puberty.
Pattern	Something ----s
Examples	"his voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir"
Broader	change state, turn

break > verb 56, change
Meaning	Fall sharply.
Pattern	Something ----s
Model	The stock market is going to break
Broader	decrease, diminish, lessen, fall

break > verb 57, body
Meaning	Fracture a bone of.
Pattern	Somebody ----s something
Model	Did he break his foot?
Synonyms	fracture
Broader	injure, wound
Similar to	fracture
Nouns	break

break > verb 58, body
Meaning	Diminish or discontinue abruptly.
Pattern	Something ----s
Broader	decrease, diminish, lessen, fall

break > verb 59, body
Meaning	Weaken or destroy in spirit or body.
Pattern	Something ----s somebody
Broader	weaken