break
1. some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity (Freq. 3)
- the telephone is an annoying interruption
- there was a break in the action when a player was hurt
• Syn:
interruption
• Hypernyms:
happening, occurrence, occurrent, natural event
• Hyponyms:
dislocation, disruption, punctuation, suspension, respite,
reprieve, hiatus, abatement, eclipse, occultation
2. an unexpected piece of good luck (Freq. 2)
- he finally got his big break
• Syn:
good luck, happy chance
• Hypernyms:
accident, stroke, fortuity, chance event
3. (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other (Freq. 1)
- they built it right over a geological fault
- he studied the faulting of the earth's crust
• Syn:
fault, faulting, geological fault, shift, fracture
• Derivationally related forms:
fracture (for: fracture)
• Topics:
geology
• Hypernyms:
crack, cleft, crevice, fissure, scissure
• Hyponyms:
inclined fault, strike-slip fault
• Instance Hyponyms:
Denali Fault, San Andreas Fault
• Part Meronyms:
fault line
4. a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions) (Freq. 1)
- they hoped to avoid a break in relations
• Syn:
rupture, breach, severance, rift, falling out
• Derivationally related forms:
sever (for: severance)
• Hypernyms:
separation, breakup, detachment
• Hyponyms:
schism
5. a pause from doing something (as work) (Freq. 1)
- we took a 10-minute break
- he took time out to recuperate
• Syn:
respite, recess, time out
• Derivationally related forms:
recess (for: recess)
• Hypernyms:
pause
• Hyponyms:
spring break
6. the act of breaking something (Freq. 1)
- the breakage was unavoidable
• Syn:
breakage, breaking
• Derivationally related forms:
break (for: breakage)
• Hypernyms:
change of integrity
• Hyponyms:
rupture, smashing, shattering, fracture, crack,
cracking, chip, chipping, splintering
7. a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
• Syn:
pause, intermission, interruption, suspension
• Derivationally related forms:
suspend (for: suspension), pause (for: pause)
• Hypernyms:
time interval, interval
• Hyponyms:
lapse, blackout, caesura, dead air, delay,
hold, time lag, postponement, wait, halftime, respite,
rest, relief, rest period, time-out, letup, lull
8. breaking of hard tissue such as bone
- it was a nasty fracture
- the break seems to have been caused by a fall
• Syn:
fracture
• Derivationally related forms:
fracture (for: fracture)
• Hypernyms:
injury, hurt, harm, trauma
• Hyponyms:
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
9. the occurrence of breaking
- the break in the dam threatened the valley
• Hypernyms:
separation, breakup, detachment
• Hyponyms:
snap
10. an abrupt change in the tone or register of the voice (as at puberty or due to emotion)
- then there was a break in her voice
• Hypernyms:
change, alteration, modification
11. the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool
• Hypernyms:
stroke, shot
• Part Holonyms:
billiards, pool, pocket billiards
12. (tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving
- he was up two breaks in the second set
• Syn:
break of serve
• Topics:
tennis, lawn tennis
• Hypernyms:
score
13. an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
- it was presented without commercial breaks
- there was a gap in his account
• Syn:
interruption, disruption, gap
• Derivationally related forms:
disrupt (for: disruption), interrupt (for: interruption)
• Hypernyms:
delay, holdup
• Hyponyms:
cut-in, insert, interjection, interposition, interpolation,
interpellation, breaking off, abruption, heckling, barracking
14. a sudden dash
- he made a break for the open door
• Hypernyms:
dash, sprint
• Hyponyms:
fast break
15. any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare
- the break in the eighth frame cost him the match
• Syn:
open frame
• Hypernyms:
score
16. an escape from jail
- the breakout was carefully planned
• Syn:
breakout, jailbreak, gaolbreak, prisonbreak, prison-breaking
• Derivationally related forms:
break out (for: breakout)
• Hypernyms:
escape, flight
1. terminate (Freq. 15)
- She interrupted her pregnancy
- break a lucky streak
- break the cycle of poverty
• Syn:
interrupt
• Hypernyms:
end, terminate
• Hyponyms:
hold on, stop, cut short, break short, break off,
freeze, suspend
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
2. become separated into pieces or fragments (Freq. 13)
- The figurine broke
- The freshly baked loaf fell apart
• Syn:
separate, split up, fall apart, come apart
• See Also:
break up
• Derivationally related forms:
breakable
• Hypernyms:
change integrity
• Hyponyms:
burst, split, break open, puncture, bust,
smash, ladder, run, snap, crack, break up,
fragment, fragmentize, fragmentise, crush
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
- The wooden sticks break
- These glasses break easily
3. render inoperable or ineffective (Freq. 9)
- You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!
• Derivationally related forms:
breakage
• Hypernyms:
damage
• Verb Group:
fail, go bad, give way, die, give out,
conk out, go, break down
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
4. ruin completely (Freq. 8)
- He busted my radio!
• Syn:
bust
• Ant:
repair
• See Also:
bust up (for: bust), break up, break apart, break off, break down
• Derivationally related forms:
bust (for: bust), buster (for: bust), breakable, breakage
• Hypernyms:
destroy, ruin
• Hyponyms:
break down
• Verb Group:
wear, wear out, bust, fall apart
• Cause:
wear, wear out, bust, fall apart
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
5. destroy the integrity of;
usually by force;
cause to separate into pieces or fragments (Freq. 8)
- He broke the glass plate
- She broke the match
• Derivationally related forms:
breakable, breakage, breaker
• Hypernyms:
separate, divide
• Hyponyms:
shatter, fracture, break in, smash, dash
• Verb Group:
separate, split up, fall apart, come apart
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
- The girls break the wooden sticks
6. act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises (Freq. 5)
- offend all laws of humanity
- violate the basic laws or human civilization
- break a law
- break a promise
• Syn:
transgress, offend, infract, violate, go against, breach
• Ant:
keep
• Derivationally related forms:
breach (for: breach), violable (for: violate), violative (for: violate), violator (for: violate), infraction (for: infract), offensive (for: offend), offender (for: offend), offence (for: offend), transgression (for: transgress), transgressor (for: transgress), offense (for: offend)
• Hypernyms:
disrespect
• Hyponyms:
sin, transgress, trespass, drop the ball, blunder,
blunder, goof, conflict, run afoul, infringe,
contravene, intrude
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
7. move away or escape suddenly (Freq. 4)
- The horses broke from the stable
- Three inmates broke jail
- Nobody can break out--this prison is high security
• Syn:
break out, break away
• Derivationally related forms:
breakout (for: break out)
• Hypernyms:
escape, get away, break loose
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s
- Something is ----ing PP
- Somebody ----s PP
- Somebody ----s something
8. scatter or part (Freq. 4)
- The clouds broke after the heavy downpour
• Hypernyms:
disperse, dissipate, scatter, spread out
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
9. force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up (Freq. 4)
- break into tears
- erupt in anger
• Syn:
burst, erupt
• Hypernyms:
express emotion, express feelings
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s PP
10. prevent completion (Freq. 4)
- stop the project
- break off the negotiations
• Syn:
break off, discontinue, stop
• Derivationally related forms:
stop (for: stop), discontinuation (for: discontinue)
• Hypernyms:
end, terminate
• Hyponyms:
fracture, bog down, bog, interrupt, disrupt,
break up, cut off
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
11. enter someone's (virtual or real) property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act (Freq. 3)
- Someone broke in while I was on vacation
- They broke into my car and stole my radio!
- who broke into my account last night?
• Syn:
break in
• Derivationally related forms:
break-in (for: break in)
• Hypernyms:
trespass, intrude
• Hyponyms:
crack
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Somebody ----s PP
- Somebody ----s (for: break in)
12. make submissive, obedient, or useful (Freq. 3)
- The horse was tough to break
- I broke in the new intern
• Syn:
break in
• Hypernyms:
domesticate, domesticize, domesticise, reclaim, tame
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Somebody ----s somebody
13. fail to agree with;
be in violation of;
as of rules or patterns (Freq. 2)
- This sentence violates the rules of syntax
• Syn:
violate, go against
• Ant:
conform to (for: violate)
• Derivationally related forms:
violable (for: violate), violative (for: violate), violation (for: violate)
• Hyponyms:
fly in the face of, fly in the teeth of
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
14. surpass in excellence (Freq. 2)
- She bettered her own record
- break a record
• Syn:
better
• Derivationally related forms:
better (for: better)
• Hypernyms:
surpass, outstrip, outmatch, outgo, exceed,
outdo, surmount, outperform
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
15. make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret (Freq. 2)
- The auction house would not disclose the price at which the van Gogh had sold
- The actress won't reveal how old she is
- bring out the truth
- he broke the news to her
- unwrap the evidence in the murder case
• Syn:
unwrap, disclose, let on, bring out, reveal,
discover, expose, divulge, give away, let out
• Derivationally related forms:
giveaway (for: give away), divulgement (for: divulge), divulgence (for: divulge), exposure (for: expose), expose (for: expose), discovery (for: discover), revelation (for: reveal), revealing (for: reveal), disclosure (for: disclose)
• Hypernyms:
tell
• Hyponyms:
blackwash, muckrake, blow, out, come out of the closet,
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
• Verb Group:
get out, get around
• Cause:
get out, get around
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
- Somebody ----s something to somebody
- Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
16. come into being (Freq. 2)
- light broke over the horizon
- Voices broke in the air
• Hypernyms:
become, go, get
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
17. stop operating or functioning (Freq. 2)
- The engine finally went
- The car died on the road
- The bus we travelled in broke down on the way to town
- The coffee maker broke
- The engine failed on the way to town
- her eyesight went after the accident
• Syn:
fail, go bad, give way, die, give out,
conk out, go, break down
• Derivationally related forms:
breakdown (for: break down), breakable, failure (for: fail)
• Hypernyms:
change
• Hyponyms:
crash, go down, blow out, burn out, blow,
misfire, malfunction, misfunction
• Verb Group:
die, decease, perish, go, exit,
pass away, expire, pass, kick the bucket, cash in one's chips, buy the farm,
buy the farm, give-up the ghost, drop dead, pop off, choke,
croak, snuff it
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
- These cars won't break
18. interrupt a continued activity (Freq. 1)
- She had broken with the traditional patterns
• Syn:
break away
• Hypernyms:
separate, part, split up, split, break up
• Verb Frames:
- Something is ----ing PP
- Somebody ----s PP
19. make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing (Freq. 1)
- The ranks broke
• Topics:
military, armed forces, armed services, military machine, war machine
• Hypernyms:
flee, fly, take flight
• Verb Group:
break out, break away
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
- Somebody ----s
20. curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves (Freq. 1)
- The surf broke
• Derivationally related forms:
breaker
• Hypernyms:
collapse, fall in, cave in, give, give way, founder
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
21. lessen in force or effect (Freq. 1)
- soften a shock
- break a fall
• Syn:
dampen, damp, soften, weaken
• Derivationally related forms:
weakener (for: weaken), damper (for: damp)
• Hypernyms:
deaden, blunt
• Hyponyms:
deafen, dampen, deaden, damp
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
22. be broken in (Freq. 1)
- If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress
• Hypernyms:
change
• Verb Group:
break in
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s
23. come to an end
- The heat wave finally broke yesterday
• Hypernyms:
end, stop, finish, terminate, cease
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
24. vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity
- The flat plain was broken by tall mesas
• Hypernyms:
change, alter, vary
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s something
25. cause to give up a habit
- She finally broke herself of smoking cigarettes
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s somebody
26. give up
- break cigarette smoking
• Hypernyms:
discontinue, stop, cease, give up, quit, lay off
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
27. come forth or begin from a state of latency
- The first winter storm broke over New York
• Hypernyms:
come forth, emerge
• Verb Frames:
- Something is ----ing PP
28. happen or take place
- Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months
• Usage Domain:
colloquialism
• Hypernyms:
happen, hap, go on, pass off, occur,
pass, fall out, come about, take place
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
29. cause the failure or ruin of
- His peccadilloes finally broke his marriage
- This play will either make or break the playwright
• Ant:
make
• Hypernyms:
ruin
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
30. invalidate by judicial action
- The will was broken
• Hypernyms:
invalidate, annul, quash, void, avoid, nullify
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
31. discontinue an association or relation;
go different ways
- The business partners broke over a tax question
- The couple separated after 25 years of marriage
- My friend and I split up
• Syn:
separate, part, split up, split, break up
• Derivationally related forms:
breakup (for: break up), split (for: split), separatist (for: separate), separation (for: separate)
• Hyponyms:
give the axe, give the bounce, give the gate, disunify, break apart,
disassociate, dissociate, divorce, disunite, disjoint, break with,
split up, secede, splinter, break away
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s
32. assign to a lower position;
reduce in rank
- She was demoted because she always speaks up
- He was broken down to Sergeant
• Syn:
demote, bump, relegate, kick downstairs
• Ant:
promote (for: demote)
• See Also:
bump off (for: bump)
• Derivationally related forms:
relegation (for: relegate), demotion (for: demote)
• Hypernyms:
delegate, designate, depute, assign
• Hyponyms:
sideline, reduce
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s somebody
- Somebody ----s something PP
33. reduce to bankruptcy
- My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!
- The slump in the financial markets smashed him
• Syn:
bankrupt, ruin, smash
• Derivationally related forms:
bankruptcy (for: bankrupt)
• Hypernyms:
impoverish
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s somebody
- Something ----s somebody
34. change directions suddenly
• Hypernyms:
switch, shift, change
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
- Somebody ----s
35. emerge from the surface of a body of water
- The whales broke
• Hypernyms:
appear
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
36. break down, literally or metaphorically
- The wall collapsed
- The business collapsed
- The dam broke
- The roof collapsed
- The wall gave in
- The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice
• Syn:
collapse, fall in, cave in, give, give way, founder
• Derivationally related forms:
cave in (for: cave in), collapse (for: collapse)
• Hypernyms:
change
• Hyponyms:
implode, go off, buckle, crumple, flop,
slump, slide down, sink
• Verb Group:
abandon, give up, collapse, burst
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
- Somebody ----s
37. do a break dance
- Kids were break-dancing at the street corner
• Syn:
break dance, break-dance
• Derivationally related forms:
break dance (for: break dance)
• Hypernyms:
dance, trip the light fantastic, trip the light fantastic toe
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s
- Sam and Sue break
38. exchange for smaller units of money
- I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy
• Hypernyms:
change, exchange, commute, convert
• Verb Group:
break up
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
39. destroy the completeness of a set of related items
- The book dealer would not break the set
• Syn:
break up
• Derivationally related forms:
breakable
• Hypernyms:
change, alter, modify
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
40. make the opening shot that scatters the balls
• Topics:
billiards
• Hypernyms:
shoot
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s
41. separate from a clinch, in boxing
- The referee broke the boxers
• Hypernyms:
separate, disunite, divide, part
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s somebody
42. go to pieces
- The lawn mower finally broke
- The gears wore out
- The old chair finally fell apart completely
• Syn:
wear, wear out, bust, fall apart
• See Also:
wear away (for: wear), wear off (for: wear), break away, break off, break up, break apart
• Derivationally related forms:
wear (for: wear), breakable
• Hypernyms:
decay, crumble, dilapidate
• Hyponyms:
fray, frazzle
• Verb Group:
bust
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
43. break a piece from a whole
- break a branch from a tree
• Syn:
break off, snap off
• Derivationally related forms:
breakable, breakage, breaker
• Hypernyms:
detach
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
44. become punctured or penetrated
- The skin broke
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
45. pierce or penetrate
- The blade broke her skin
• Hypernyms:
penetrate, perforate
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s something
46. be released or become known;
of news
- News of her death broke in the morning
• Syn:
get out, get around
• Hyponyms:
leak, leak out
• Verb Group:
unwrap, disclose, let on, bring out, reveal,
discover, expose, divulge, give away, let out
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
47. cease an action temporarily
- We pause for station identification
- let's break for lunch
• Syn:
pause, intermit
• Derivationally related forms:
intermission (for: intermit), pause (for: pause)
• Hypernyms:
interrupt, disrupt, break up, cut off
• Hyponyms:
rest, breathe, catch one's breath, take a breather, take five, take ten
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s
48. interrupt the flow of current in
- break a circuit
• Derivationally related forms:
breaker
• Hypernyms:
interrupt, disrupt, break up, cut off
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
49. undergo breaking
- The simple vowels broke in many Germanic languages
• Hypernyms:
diphthongize, diphthongise
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
50. find a flaw in
- break an alibi
- break down a proof
• Hypernyms:
destroy, ruin
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Something ----s something
51. find the solution or key to
- break the code
• Hypernyms:
solve, work out, figure out, puzzle out, lick, work
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
52. change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another
- Her voice broke to a whisper when she started to talk about her children
• Hypernyms:
switch, shift, change
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
53. happen
- Report the news as it develops
- These political movements recrudesce from time to time
• Syn:
recrudesce, develop
• See Also:
break out, break through
• Derivationally related forms:
development (for: develop), recrudescence (for: recrudesce)
• Hypernyms:
happen, hap, go on, pass off, occur,
pass, fall out, come about, take place
• Verb Group:
develop
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
54. become fractured;
break or crack on the surface only
- The glass cracked when it was heated
• Syn:
crack, check
• Derivationally related forms:
breakable, check (for: check)
• Hypernyms:
change
• Hyponyms:
crack
• Verb Group:
check, chink, crack
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
55. crack;
of the male voice in puberty
- his voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir
• Hypernyms:
change state, turn
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
56. fall sharply
- stock prices broke
• Hypernyms:
decrease, diminish, lessen, fall
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
- The stock market is going to break
57. fracture a bone of
- I broke my foot while playing hockey
• Syn:
fracture
• Derivationally related forms:
fracture (for: fracture)
• Hypernyms:
injure, wound
• Verb Group:
fracture
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Did he break his foot?
58. diminish or discontinue abruptly
- The patient's fever broke last night
• Hypernyms:
decrease, diminish, lessen, fall
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
59. weaken or destroy in spirit or body
- His resistance was broken
- a man broken by the terrible experience of near-death
• Hypernyms:
weaken
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s somebody
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