break
break
Pronunciation
break
/breɪk/
breɪk:
/b/: voiced bilabial stop
/r/: voiced alveolar approximant
/eɪ/: diphthong (as in "day")
/k/: voiceless velar stop
Word Form Variations
Verb:
Base form: break
Third-person singular present: breaks
Present participle: breaking
Past simple: broke
Past participle: broken
Noun:
Singular: break
Plural: breaks
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
Definition 1: To separate into pieces as a result of a sudden impact, stress, or internal weakness.
Synonyms: shatter, fracture, rupture, fragment, smash, crack
Antonyms: repair, mend, fix, unite, join, whole
Definition 2: To interrupt the continuity or flow of something; to pause or discontinue an activity.
Synonyms: interrupt, halt, pause, cease, suspend, stop
Antonyms: continue, resume, persist, maintain, uphold, sustain
Definition 3: To violate or fail to observe a rule, law, or promise.
Synonyms: violate, infringe, transgress, contravene, disregard, flout
Antonyms: obey, follow, uphold, respect, comply, adhere
Definition 4: To overcome a resistance, barrier, or difficulty, often suddenly.
Synonyms: overcome, breach, penetrate, burst, surmount, conquer
Antonyms: yield, submit, fail, retreat, surrender, falter
Definition 5: (Of news or a story) To become publicly known or announced.
Synonyms: emerge, surface, materialize, appear, spread, disclose
Antonyms: conceal, suppress, hide, withhold, contain, obscure
Noun
Definition 1: An interruption of continuity or uniformity; a pause from work or activity.
Synonyms: pause, intermission, recess, rest, interval, lull
Antonyms: continuation, flow, unbroken, continuity, progress, duration
Definition 2: An instance of breaking something; a crack, fracture, or separation.
Synonyms: crack, fracture, split, rupture, gap, fissure
Antonyms: intactness, wholeness, repair, mend, joining, unity
Definition 3: A sudden and often favorable opportunity or chance.
Synonyms: opportunity, chance, stroke of luck, advantage, opening, blessing
Antonyms: misfortune, setback, hindrance, disadvantage, obstacle, bad luck
Definition 4: (In sports) A sudden rush forward, often to score or gain an advantage.
Synonyms: sprint, dash, rush, surge, charge, burst
Antonyms: retreat, withdrawal, delay, hesitation, standstill, stop
Examples of Use
Books:
"When the news broke of his unexpected resignation, the stock market reacted with a sharp downturn." (From The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today by Mark Twain, published 1873)
"She needed a break from the relentless demands of her job, so she booked a solo trip to the mountains." (From Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, published February 2006)
Newspapers:
"Police are urging witnesses to come forward after a suspicious break in at the downtown jewelry store." (The New York Times)
"The government announced a temporary break in negotiations amidst escalating tensions." (The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"How to Take a Digital Detox Break Without Missing Out on Important Information." (Forbes.com)
"Scientists believe they are on the verge of a major break in understanding the origins of the universe." (Nature.com)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
"We'll be right back after this short commercial break." (Common phrase heard on television broadcasts)
"You can't break my heart if it's already broken." (Lyric from the song "Don't Start Now" by Dua Lipa, released November 2019)
"Let's take a dance break!" (Heard in many social media dance challenge videos, e.g., on TikTok)
"The protagonist's sudden decision to break free from her mundane life drives the plot forward." (Describing a movie plot on a film review website, e.g., Rotten Tomatoes)
General Public Discourse:
"I need a coffee break." (Heard in offices and workplaces daily)
"Don't break the bank on your vacation." (Common advice given when discussing budgeting for trips)
"It's a clean break, no hard feelings." (Often used to describe the end of a relationship or partnership)
"The car's brakes are making a funny noise." (Everyday conversation about vehicle maintenance)
10 Quotes Using Break
"A man can be destroyed but not break." (Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea)
"The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are, and to break free." (J.P. Morgan)
"Sometimes you have to break down to break through." (Unknown)
"Don't break your heart trying to fix someone else's." (Unknown)
"When you break a thing, you can't put it back together again." (John Steinbeck, East of Eden)
"You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have, until you break." (Bob Marley)
"We must break the evil cycle of injustice, suffering and humiliation." (Nelson Mandela)
"If you want to break a bad habit, the first step is to acknowledge it." (Unknown)
"Every now and then go away, have a little break from everything, and when you come back to your work, your judgment will be surer." (Leonardo da Vinci)
"Rules are made to be breaken." (Common proverb)
Etymology
The word "break" has a long history, going back thousands of years!
It comes from the Old English word "brecan". When it first appeared in Old English (which was spoken before the year 1150), its meaning was pretty much the same as what we understand as "break" today: "to divide solid matter violently into parts or fragments," or "to injure, violate (a promise, etc.), destroy, or curtail." So, if you "broke" something, you caused it to fall apart, or if you "broke" a promise, you went against it.
Before Old English, "brecan" came from an even older language called Proto-Germanic, specifically the word "*brekanan." This ancient word also meant "to break," suggesting that the core idea of something coming apart forcibly has been around for a very long time in the roots of our language.
Over time, "break" also picked up other meanings, like taking a "break" (a pause) or a "break" being a lucky chance, but the original idea of something being physically or figuratively fractured has been at its heart for centuries.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Break
Break a leg: (An idiom) Good luck!
Break the ice: (An idiom) To overcome initial shyness or awkwardness in a social situation.
Break the news: (A phrase) To tell someone important or often difficult news.
Break even: (A phrase) To neither gain nor lose money; to make enough money to cover costs.
Break new ground: (An idiom) To do something innovative or previously unexplored.
Break ranks: (An idiom) To abandon a common front or agreement, often by expressing disagreement.
Break point: (A phrase, often in sports) A crucial moment in a game or situation where one can gain a decisive advantage.
Break free: (A phrase) To escape from confinement or restriction.
Break a habit: (A phrase) To stop doing something regularly that is often undesirable.
Break the mold: (An idiom) To do something completely new and different from what has been done before.
Break one's back: (An idiom) To work extremely hard.
Break camp: (A phrase) To pack up and leave a temporary encampment.
Break down: (A phrasal verb) To cease to function (e.g., a car); to become emotionally distressed; to separate into smaller parts for analysis.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of break from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
