break
noun
some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity
“the telephone is an annoying interruption”
“there was a break in the action when a player was hurt”
Synonymsinterruptionan unexpected piece of good luck
“he finally got his big break”
(geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other
“they built it right over a geological fault”
“he studied the faulting of the earth's crust”
a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)
“they hoped to avoid a break in relations”
a pause from doing something (as work)
“we took a 10-minute break”
“he took time out to recuperate”
the act of breaking something
“the breakage was unavoidable”
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
breaking of hard tissue such as bone
“it was a nasty fracture”
“the break seems to have been caused by a fall”
Synonymsfracturethe occurrence of breaking
“the break in the dam threatened the valley”
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”
the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool
(tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving
“he was up two breaks in the second set”
Synonymsbreak of servean act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
“it was presented without commercial breaks”
“there was a gap in his account”
a sudden dash
“he made a break for the open door”
any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare
“the break in the eighth frame cost him the match”
Synonymsopen framean escape from jail
“the breakout was carefully planned”
verb
terminate
“She interrupted her pregnancy”
“break a lucky streak”
Synonymsinterruptbecome separated into pieces or fragments
“The figurine broke”
“The freshly baked loaf fell apart”
render inoperable or ineffective
“You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!”
ruin completely
“He busted my radio!”
SynonymsbustOppositesrepairdestroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments
“He broke the glass plate”
“She broke the match”
act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises
“offend all laws of humanity”
“violate the basic laws or human civilization”
Oppositeskeepmove away or escape suddenly
“The horses broke from the stable”
“Three inmates broke jail”
scatter or part
“The clouds broke after the heavy downpour”
force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up
“break into tears”
“erupt in anger”
prevent completion
“stop the project”
“break off the negotiations”
enter someone's (virtual or real) property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act
“Someone broke in while I was on vacation”
“They broke into my car and stole my radio!”
Synonymsbreak inmake submissive, obedient, or useful
“The horse was tough to break”
“I broke in the new intern”
Synonymsbreak infail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns
“This sentence violates the rules of syntax”
surpass in excellence
“She bettered her own record”
“break a record”
Synonymsbettermake known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
“The auction house would not disclose the price at which the van Gogh had sold”
“The actress won't reveal how old she is”
come into being
“light broke over the horizon”
“Voices broke in the air”
stop operating or functioning
“The engine finally went”
“The car died on the road”
interrupt a continued activity
“She had broken with the traditional patterns”
Synonymsbreak awaymake a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing
“The ranks broke”
curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves
“The surf broke”
lessen in force or effect
“soften a shock”
“break a fall”
be broken in
“If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress”
come to an end
“The heat wave finally broke yesterday”
vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity
“The flat plain was broken by tall mesas”
cause to give up a habit
“She finally broke herself of smoking cigarettes”
give up
“break cigarette smoking”
come forth or begin from a state of latency
“The first winter storm broke over New York”
happen or take place
“Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months”
cause the failure or ruin of
“His peccadilloes finally broke his marriage”
“This play will either make or break the playwright”
Oppositesmakeinvalidate by judicial action
“The will was broken”
discontinue an association or relation; go different ways
“The business partners broke over a tax question”
“The couple separated after 25 years of marriage”
assign to a lower position; reduce in rank
“She was demoted because she always speaks up”
“He was broken down to Sergeant”
reduce to bankruptcy
“My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!”
“The slump in the financial markets smashed him”
change directions suddenly
emerge from the surface of a body of water
“The whales broke”
break down, literally or metaphorically
“The wall collapsed”
“The business collapsed”
do a break dance
“Kids were break-dancing at the street corner”
exchange for smaller units of money
“I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy”
destroy the completeness of a set of related items
“The book dealer would not break the set”
Synonymsbreak upmake the opening shot that scatters the balls
separate from a clinch, in boxing
“The referee broke the boxers”
go to pieces
“The lawn mower finally broke”
“The gears wore out”
break a piece from a whole
“break a branch from a tree”
become punctured or penetrated
“The skin broke”
pierce or penetrate
“The blade broke her skin”
be released or become known; of news
“News of her death broke in the morning”
cease an action temporarily
“We pause for station identification”
“let's break for lunch”
interrupt the flow of current in
“break a circuit”
undergo breaking
“The simple vowels broke in many Germanic languages”
find a flaw in
“break an alibi”
“break down a proof”
find the solution or key to
“break the code”
change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another
“Her voice broke to a whisper when she started to talk about her children”
happen
“Report the news as it develops”
“These political movements recrudesce from time to time”
become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
“The glass cracked when it was heated”
crack; of the male voice in puberty
“his voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir”
fall sharply
“stock prices broke”
fracture a bone of
“I broke my foot while playing hockey”
Synonymsfracturediminish or discontinue abruptly
“The patient's fever broke last night”
weaken or destroy in spirit or body
“His resistance was broken”
“a man broken by the terrible experience of near-death”
Source: WordNet 3.1, Princeton University