break

breakverb

To break is to separate into pieces by force, stop working correctly, not keep a rule, begin suddenly, beat a record, change money into smaller units, or stop something briefly.

1. into piecesseparate into pieces, suddenly and by force

   transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + object [V + obj]

   • The glass broke when it hit the floor.
   • She broke the vase by accident. V + obj
   • The branch broke under his weight.
   • He broke the window with a rock. V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun break a glass, break a window, break a plate

   phrase break easily, break in half, break into pieces

   Synonyms smash (breaking something violently and completely); shatter (breaking into many small pieces, especially glass)

   Compare bend (something that bends changes shape without separating into pieces; something that breaks does); destroy

   1. aof a bone: crack or separate into two parts

      transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + object [V + obj]

      • She broke her arm skiing last winter. V + obj
      • The X-ray showed that no bones were broken. (passive)

      Collocations

      verb + noun break a bone, break your arm, break your leg

2. stop workingstop working correctly, or cause something to do this

   transitive or intransitive [T/I] verb + object [V + obj]

   • The washing machine broke last week.
   • My phone broke after I dropped it in the sink.
   • The elevator broke again this morning.
   • I think you broke the printer; it won't turn on now. V + obj

   Collocations

   noun + verb the machine breaks, the phone breaks

   Antonyms fix

3. not keepnot keep a law, a rule, or a promise

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj]

   • He was arrested for breaking the law. V + obj
   • She broke her promise to call every day. V + obj
   • Breaking the rules can get you suspended from school. V + obj
   • They broke the agreement within a year. V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun break the law, break a promise, break a rule, break an agreement

   Antonyms keep (keep a promise)

4. begin suddenlyof weather, or of something that has been hidden: begin suddenly

   intransitive [I]

   • The storm broke just as we reached the car.
   • Dawn was breaking over the hills.
   • News of the deal broke late last night.
   • The scandal broke in every newspaper in the country.

   Collocations

   noun + verb the storm breaks, dawn breaks, the news breaks, a scandal breaks

5. a recordbeat a record

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj]

   • She broke the world record for the marathon. V + obj
   • The team broke their own record this season. V + obj
   • He broke the record for the most goals in a single season. V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun break a record, break the world record

   Synonyms beat (very close; both are common with record, but only break also works with no person named: the record was broken)

6. moneychange a bill into smaller units of money

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] informal

   • Can you break a hundred-dollar bill? V + obj
   • I need change; could you break this twenty? V + obj
   • The cashier couldn't break my bill, so I paid by card. V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun break a bill, break a hundred

   For translators (sense 6)

   Cultural background British English uses note where American English uses bill for a piece of paper money.

7. interruptstop something for a short time, and then continue

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj]

   • Let's break the journey with a stop for lunch. V + obj
   • We broke our trip in Denver for a night. V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun break a journey, break the routine

   1. acause a quiet or an empty state to end suddenly

      transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] usually passive [usually passive]

      • The silence was broken by a loud knock at the door. (passive)
      • A shout from the yard broke the stillness of the morning. V + obj

      Collocations

      verb + noun break the silence, break the stillness

See also break down; break up; break in; break out