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break

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break


  7  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
 
 
  6.  That  which  has  been  publicly  achieved  in  any  kind  of 
  competitive  sport  as  recorded  in  some  authoritative 
  manner,  as  the  time  made  by  a  winning  horse  in  a  race. 
 
  {Court  of  record}  (pron.  r?*k?rd"  in  Eng.),  a  court  whose 
  acts  and  judicial  proceedings  are  written  on  parchment  or 
  in  books  for  a  perpetual  memorial. 
 
  {Debt  of  record},  a  debt  which  appears  to  be  due  by  the 
  evidence  of  a  court  of  record,  as  upon  a  judgment  or  a 
  cognizance. 
 
  {Trial  by  record},  a  trial  which  is  had  when  a  matter  of 
  record  is  pleaded,  and  the  opposite  party  pleads  that 
  there  is  no  such  record.  In  this  case  the  trial  is  by 
  inspection  of  the  record  itself  no  other  evidence  being 
  admissible.  --Blackstone. 
 
  {To  beat},  or  {break},  {the  record}  (Sporting),  to  surpass 
  any  performance  of  like  kind  as  authoritatively  recorded; 
  as  to  break  the  record  in  a  walking  match. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Break  \Break\,  v.  t.  [imp.  {broke},  (Obs.  {Brake});  p.  p. 
  {Broken},  (Obs.  {Broke});  p.  pr  &  vb  n.  {Breaking}.]  [OE. 
  breken,  AS  brecan;  akin  to  OS  brekan,  D.  breken,  OHG. 
  brehhan  G.  brechen,  Icel.  braka  to  creak,  Sw  braka, 
  br["a]kka  to  crack,  Dan.  br[ae]kke  to  break,  Goth.  brikan  to 
  break,  L.  frangere  Cf  {Bray}  to  pound,  {Breach}, 
  {Fragile}.] 
  1.  To  strain  apart;  to  sever  by  fracture;  to  divide  with 
  violence;  as  to  break  a  rope  or  chain;  to  break  a  seal; 
  to  break  an  axle;  to  break  rocks  or  coal;  to  break  a  lock. 
  --Shak. 
 
  2.  To  lay  open  as  by  breaking;  to  divide;  as  to  break  a 
  package  of  goods. 
 
  3.  To  lay  open  as  a  purpose;  to  disclose,  divulge,  or 
  communicate. 
 
  Katharine  break  thy  mind  to  me  --Shak. 
 
  4.  To  infringe  or  violate,  as  an  obligation,  law,  or  promise. 
 
  Out  out  hyena!  these  are  thy  wonted  arts  .  .  .  To 
  break  all  faith,  all  vows,  deceive,  betray.  --Milton 
 
  5.  To  interrupt;  to  destroy  the  continuity  of  to  dissolve  or 
  terminate;  as  to  break  silence;  to  break  one's  sleep;  to 
  break  one's  journey. 
 
  Go  release  them  Ariel;  My  charms  I'll  break,  their 
  senses  I'll  restore.  --Shak. 
 
  6.  To  destroy  the  completeness  of  to  remove  a  part  from  as 
  to  break  a  set 
 
  7.  To  destroy  the  arrangement  of  to  throw  into  disorder;  to 
  pierce;  as  the  cavalry  were  not  able  to  break  the  British 
  squares. 
 
  8.  To  shatter  to  pieces;  to  reduce  to  fragments. 
 
  The  victim  broke  in  pieces  the  musical  instruments 
  with  which  he  had  solaced  the  hours  of  captivity. 
  --Prescott. 
 
  9.  To  exchange  for  other  money  or  currency  of  smaller 
  denomination;  as  to  break  a  five  dollar  bill. 
 
  10.  To  destroy  the  strength,  firmness,  or  consistency  of  as 
  to  break  flax. 
 
  11.  To  weaken  or  impair,  as  health,  spirit,  or  mind. 
 
  An  old  man,  broken  with  the  storms  of  state. 
  --Shak. 
 
  12.  To  diminish  the  force  of  to  lessen  the  shock  of  as  a 
  fall  or  blow. 
 
  I'll  rather  leap  down  first  and  break  your  fall. 
  --Dryden. 
 
  13.  To  impart,  as  news  or  information;  to  broach;  --  with  to 
  and  often  with  a  modified  word  implying  some  reserve;  as 
  to  break  the  news  gently  to  the  widow;  to  break  a  purpose 
  cautiously  to  a  friend. 
 
  14.  To  tame;  to  reduce  to  subjection;  to  make  tractable;  to 
  discipline;  as  to  break  a  horse  to  the  harness  or 
  saddle.  ``To  break  a  colt.''  --Spenser. 
 
  Why,  then  thou  canst  not  break  her  to  the  lute? 
  --Shak. 
 
  15.  To  destroy  the  financial  credit  of  to  make  bankrupt;  to 
  ruin. 
 
  With  arts  like  these  rich  Matho,  when  he  speaks, 
  Attracts  all  fees,  and  little  lawyers  breaks. 
  --Dryden. 
 
  16.  To  destroy  the  official  character  and  standing  of  to 
  cashier;  to  dismiss. 
 
  I  see  a  great  officer  broken.  --Swift. 
 
  Note:  With  prepositions  or  adverbs: 
 
  {To  break  down}. 
  a  To  crush;  to  overwhelm;  as  to  break  down  one's 
  strength;  to  break  down  opposition. 
  b  To  remove,  or  open  a  way  through  by  breaking;  as  to 
  break  down  a  door  or  wall. 
 
  {To  break  in}. 
  a  To  force  in  as  to  break  in  a  door. 
  b  To  train;  to  discipline;  as  a  horse  well  broken  in 
 
 
  {To  break  of},  to  rid  of  to  cause  to  abandon;  as  to  break 
  one  of  a  habit. 
 
  {To  break  off}. 
  a  To  separate  by  breaking;  as  to  break  off  a  twig. 
  b  To  stop  suddenly;  to  abandon.  ``Break  off  thy  sins  by 
  righteousness.''  --Dan.  iv  27. 
 
  {To  break  open},  to  open  by  breaking.  ``Open  the  door,  or  I 
  will  break  it  open.''  --Shak. 
 
  {To  break  out},  to  take  or  force  out  by  breaking;  as  to 
  break  out  a  pane  of  glass. 
 
  {To  break  out  a  cargo},  to  unstow  a  cargo,  so  as  to  unload  it 
  easily. 
 
  {To  break  through}. 
  a  To  make  an  opening  through  as  as  by  violence  or  the 
  force  of  gravity;  to  pass  violently  through  as  to 
  break  through  the  enemy's  lines;  to  break  through  the 
  ice. 
  b  To  disregard;  as  to  break  through  the  ceremony. 
 
  {To  break  up}. 
  a  To  separate  into  parts  to  plow  (new  or  fallow 
  ground).  ``Break  up  this  capon.''  --Shak.  ``Break  up 
  your  fallow  ground.''  --Jer.  iv  3. 
  b  To  dissolve;  to  put  an  end  to  ``Break  up  the 
  court.''  --Shak. 
 
  {To  break}  one  {all  up},  to  unsettle  or  disconcert 
  completely;  to  upset.  [Colloq.] 
 
  Note:  With  an  immediate  object: 
 
  {To  break  the  back}. 
  a  To  dislocate  the  backbone;  hence  to  disable  totally. 
  b  To  get  through  the  worst  part  of  as  to  break  the 
  back  of  a  difficult  undertaking. 
 
  {To  break  bulk},  to  destroy  the  entirety  of  a  load  by 
  removing  a  portion  of  it  to  begin  to  unload;  also  to 
  transfer  in  detail,  as  from  boats  to  cars. 
 
  {To  break  cover},  to  burst  forth  from  a  protecting 
  concealment,  as  game  when  hunted. 
 
  {To  break  a  deer}  or  {stag},  to  cut  it  up  and  apportion  the 
  parts  among  those  entitled  to  a  share. 
 
  {To  break  fast},  to  partake  of  food  after  abstinence.  See 
  {Breakfast}. 
 
  {To  break  ground}. 
  a  To  open  the  earth  as  for  planting;  to  commence 
  excavation,  as  for  building,  siege  operations,  and 
  the  like  as  to  break  ground  for  a  foundation,  a 
  canal,  or  a  railroad. 
  b  Fig.:  To  begin  to  execute  any  plan 
  c  (Naut.)  To  release  the  anchor  from  the  bottom. 
 
  {To  break  the  heart},  to  crush  or  overwhelm  one  with  grief. 
 
 
  {To  break  a  house}  (Law),  to  remove  or  set  aside  with 
  violence  and  a  felonious  intent  any  part  of  a  house  or  of 
  the  fastenings  provided  to  secure  it 
 
  {To  break  the  ice},  to  get  through  first  difficulties;  to 
  overcome  obstacles  and  make  a  beginning;  to  introduce  a 
  subject. 
 
  {To  break  jail},  to  escape  from  confinement  in  jail,  usually 
  by  forcible  means 
 
  {To  break  a  jest},  to  utter  a  jest.  ``Patroclus  .  .  .  the 
  livelong  day  breaks  scurril  jests.''  --Shak. 
 
  {To  break  joints},  to  lay  or  arrange  bricks,  shingles,  etc., 
  so  that  the  joints  in  one  course  shall  not  coincide  with 
  those  in  the  preceding  course. 
 
  {To  break  a  lance},  to  engage  in  a  tilt  or  contest. 
 
  {To  break  the  neck},  to  dislocate  the  joints  of  the  neck. 
 
  {To  break  no  squares},  to  create  no  trouble.  [Obs.] 
 
  {To  break  a  path},  {road},  etc.,  to  open  a  way  through 
  obstacles  by  force  or  labor. 
 
  {To  break  upon  a  wheel},  to  execute  or  torture,  as  a  criminal 
  by  stretching  him  upon  a  wheel,  and  breaking  his  limbs 
  with  an  iron  bar;  --  a  mode  of  punishment  formerly 
  employed  in  some  countries. 
 
  {To  break  wind},  to  give  vent  to  wind  from  the  anus. 
 
  Syn:  To  dispart;  rend;  tear;  shatter;  batter;  violate; 
  infringe;  demolish;  destroy;  burst;  dislocate. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Break  \Break\,  v.  i. 
  1.  To  come  apart  or  divide  into  two  or  more  pieces,  usually 
  with  suddenness  and  violence;  to  part  to  burst  asunder. 
 
  2.  To  open  spontaneously,  or  by  pressure  from  within,  as  a 
  bubble,  a  tumor,  a  seed  vessel,  a  bag. 
 
  Else  the  bottle  break,  and  the  wine  runneth  out 
  --Math.  ix 
  17. 
 
  3.  To  burst  forth;  to  make  its  way  to  come  to  view;  to 
  appear;  to  dawn. 
 
  The  day  begins  to  break,  and  night  is  fled.  --Shak. 
 
  And  from  the  turf  a  fountain  broke,  and  gurgled  at 
  our  feet.  --Wordsworth. 
 
  4.  To  burst  forth  violently,  as  a  storm. 
 
  The  clouds  are  still  above;  and  while  I  speak,  A 
  second  deluge  o'er  our  head  may  break.  --Dryden. 
 
  5.  To  open  up  to  be  scattered;  to  be  dissipated;  as  the 
  clouds  are  breaking. 
 
  At  length  the  darkness  begins  to  break.  --Macaulay. 
 
  6.  To  become  weakened  in  constitution  or  faculties;  to  lose 
  health  or  strength. 
 
  See  how  the  dean  begins  to  break;  Poor  gentleman!  he 
  droops  apace.  --Swift. 
 
  7.  To  be  crushed,  or  overwhelmed  with  sorrow  or  grief;  as  my 
  heart  is  breaking. 
 
  8.  To  fall  in  business;  to  become  bankrupt. 
 
  He  that  puts  all  upon  adventures  doth  oftentimes 
  break,  and  come  to  poverty.  --Bacn. 
 
  9.  To  make  an  abrupt  or  sudden  change;  to  change  the  gait; 
  as  to  break  into  a  run  or  gallop. 
 
  10.  To  fail  in  musical  quality;  as  a  singer's  voice  breaks 
  when  it  is  strained  beyond  its  compass  and  a  tone  or  note 
  is  not  completed,  but  degenerates  into  an  unmusical  sound 
  instead.  Also  to  change  in  tone,  as  a  boy's  voice  at 
  puberty. 
 
  11.  To  fall  out  to  terminate  friendship. 
 
  To  break  upon  the  score  of  danger  or  expense  is  to 
  be  mean  and  narrow-spirited.  --Collier. 
 
  Note:  With  prepositions  or  adverbs: 
 
  {To  break  away},  to  disengage  one's  self  abruptly;  to  come  or 
  go  away  against  resistance. 
 
  Fear  me  not  man;  I  will  not  break  away  --Shak. 
 
  {To  break  down}. 
  a  To  come  down  by  breaking;  as  the  coach  broke  down 
  b  To  fail  in  any  undertaking. 
 
  He  had  broken  down  almost  at  the  outset. 
  --Thackeray. 
 
  {To  break  forth},  to  issue;  to  come  out  suddenly,  as  sound, 
  light,  etc  ``Then  shall  thy  light  break  forth  as  the 
  morning.''  --Isa.  lviii  8; 
 
  Note:  often  with  into  in  expressing  or  giving  vent  to  one's 
  feelings.  ``Break  forth  into  singing,  ye  mountains.'' 
  --Isa.  xliv.  23. 
 
  {To  break  from},  to  go  away  from  abruptly. 
 
  This  radiant  from  the  circling  crowd  he  broke. 
  --Dryden. 
 
  {To  break  into},  to  enter  by  breaking;  as  to  break  into  a 
  house. 
 
  {To  break  in  upon},  to  enter  or  approach  violently  or 
  unexpectedly.  ``This,  this  is  he  softly  awhile;  let  us 
  not  break  in  upon  him.''  --Milton. 
 
  {To  break  loose}. 
  a  To  extricate  one's  self  forcibly.  ``Who  would  not 
  finding  way  break  loose  from  hell?''  --Milton. 
  b  To  cast  off  restraint,  as  of  morals  or  propriety. 
 
  {To  break  off}. 
  a  To  become  separated  by  rupture,  or  with  suddenness 
  and  violence. 
  b  To  desist  or  cease  suddenly.  ``Nay,  forward,  old  man; 
  do  not  break  off  so.''  --Shak. 
 
  {To  break  off  from},  to  desist  from  to  abandon,  as  a  habit. 
 
 
  {To  break  out}. 
  a  To  burst  forth;  to  escape  from  restraint;  to  appear 
  suddenly,  as  a  fire  or  an  epidemic.  ``For  in  the 
  wilderness  shall  waters  break  out  and  stream  in  the 
  desert.''  --Isa.  xxxv.  6 
  b  To  show  itself  in  cutaneous  eruptions;  --  said  of  a 
  disease. 
  c  To  have  a  rash  or  eruption  on  the  akin;  --  said  of  a 
  patient. 
 
  {To  break  over},  to  overflow;  to  go  beyond  limits. 
 
  {To  break  up}. 
  a  To  become  separated  into  parts  or  fragments;  as  the 
  ice  break  up  in  the  rivers;  the  wreck  will  break  up 
  in  the  next  storm. 
  b  To  disperse.  ``The  company  breaks  up.''  --I.  Watts. 
 
  {To  break  upon},  to  discover  itself  suddenly  to  to  dawn 
  upon 
 
  {To  break  with}. 
  a  To  fall  out  to  sever  one's  relations  with  to  part 
  friendship.  ``It  can  not  be  the  Volsces  dare  break 
  with  us.''  --Shak.  ``If  she  did  not  intend  to  marry 
  Clive,  she  should  have  broken  with  him  altogether.'' 
  --Thackeray. 
  b  To  come  to  an  explanation;  to  enter  into  conference; 
  to  speak.  [Obs.]  ``I  will  break  with  her  and  with  her 
  father.''  --Shak. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Break  \Break\  (  [1913  Webster]),  n.  [See  {Break},  v.  t.,  and  cf 
  {Brake}  (the  instrument),  {Breach},  {Brack}  a  crack.] 
  1.  An  opening  made  by  fracture  or  disruption. 
 
  2.  An  interruption  of  continuity;  change  of  direction;  as  a 
  break  in  a  wall;  a  break  in  the  deck  of  a  ship. 
  Specifically: 
  a  (Arch.)  A  projection  or  recess  from  the  face  of  a 
  building. 
  b  (Elec.)  An  opening  or  displacement  in  the  circuit, 
  interrupting  the  electrical  current. 
 
  3.  An  interruption;  a  pause;  as  a  break  in  friendship;  a 
  break  in  the  conversation. 
 
  4.  An  interruption  in  continuity  in  writing  or  printing,  as 
  where  there  is  an  omission,  an  unfilled  line  etc 
 
  All  modern  trash  is  Set  forth  with  numerous  breaks 
  and  dashes.  --Swift. 
 
  5.  The  first  appearing,  as  of  light  in  the  morning;  the  dawn; 
  as  the  break  of  day  the  break  of  dawn. 
 
  6.  A  large  four-wheeled  carriage,  having  a  straight  body  and 
  calash  top  with  the  driver's  seat  in  front  and  the 
  footman's  behind. 
 
  7.  A  device  for  checking  motion,  or  for  measuring  friction. 
  See  {Brake},  n.  9  &  10. 
 
  8.  (Teleg.)  See  {Commutator}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  break 
  n  1:  some  occurrence  that  interrupts;  "the  telephone  is  an 
  annoying  interruption";  "there  was  a  break  in  the  action 
  when  a  player  was  hurt"  [syn:  {interruption},  {abrupt 
  change}] 
  2:  an  unexpected  piece  of  good  luck;  "he  finally  got  his  big 
  break"  [syn:  {good  luck},  {happy  chance}] 
  3:  (geology)  a  fracture  in  the  earth's  crust  with  displacement 
  of  one  side  with  respect  to  the  other  "they  built  it 
  right  on  the  San  Andreas  fault"  [syn:  {fault},  {geological 
  fault},  {fault  line},  {fracture}] 
  4:  a  personal  or  social  separation  (as  between  opposing 
  factions);  "they  hoped  to  avoid  a  break  in  relations" 
  [syn:  {rupture},  {breach},  {severance},  {rift},  {falling 
  out}] 
  5:  a  pause  from  doing  something  (as  work);  "we  took  a  10-minute 
  break";  "he  took  time  out  to  recuperate"  [syn:  {respite}, 
  {recess},  {time  out}] 
  6:  the  act  of  breaking  something  "the  breakage  was 
  unavoidable"  [syn:  {breakage},  {breaking}] 
  7:  a  time  interval  during  which  there  is  a  temporary  cessation 
  of  something  [syn:  {pause},  {intermission},  {interruption}, 
  {suspension}] 
  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}] 
  9:  the  occurrence  of  breaking;  "the  break  in  the  dam  threatened 
  the  valley" 
  10:  the  opening  shot  that  scatters  the  balls  in  billiards  or 
  pool 
  11:  (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}] 
  12:  an  act  of  delaying  or  interrupting  the  continuity;  "it  was 
  presented  without  commercial  breaks"  [syn:  {interruption}, 
  {disruption},  {gap}] 
  13:  a  sudden  dash;  "he  made  a  break  for  the  open  door" 
  14:  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}] 
  15:  an  escape  from  jail;  "the  breakout  was  carefully  planned" 
  [syn:  {breakout},  {jailbreak},  {gaolbreak},  {prisonbreak}, 
  {prison-breaking}] 
  v  1:  end  prematurely;  "She  interrupted  her  pregnancy";  "break  a 
  lucky  streak"  [syn:  {interrupt}] 
  2:  become  separated  into  pieces  or  fragments;  "The  figurine 
  broke";  "The  freshly  baked  loaf  fell  apart"  [syn:  {separate}, 
  {split  up},  {fall  apart},  {come  apart}] 
  3:  render  inoperable  or  ineffective;  "You  broke  the  alarm  clock 
  when  you  took  it  apart!" 
  4:  ruin  completely;  "He  busted  my  radio!"  [syn:  {bust}]  [ant:  {repair}] 
  5:  destroy  the  integrity  of  usually  by  force;  cause  to 
  separate  into  pieces  or  fragments;  "He  broke  the  glass 
  plate";  "She  broke  the  match" 
  6:  act  in  disregard  of  laws  and  rules  "offend  all  laws  of 
  humanity";  "violate  the  basic  laws  or  human  civilization"; 
  "break  a  law"  [syn:  {transgress},  {offend},  {infract},  {violate}, 
  {go  against},  {breach}] 
  7:  move  away  or  escape  suddenly;  "The  horses  broke  from  the 
  stable";  "Three  inmates  broke  jail"  [syn:  {break  out},  {break 
  away}] 
  8:  scatter  or  part  "The  clouds  broke  after  the  heavy  downpour" 
  9:  force  out  or  release  suddenly  and  often  violently  something 
  pent  up  "break  into  tears";  "erupt  in  anger"  [syn:  {burst}, 
  {erupt}] 
  10:  prevent  completion;  "stop  the  project";  "break  the  silence" 
  [syn:  {break  off},  {discontinue},  {stop}] 
  11:  enter  someone's  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!"  [syn:  {break  in}] 
  12:  make  submissive,  obedient,  or  useful,  as  of  wild  animals  or 
  new  items:  "The  horse  was  tough  to  break";  used 
  metaphorically  for  people  [syn:  {break  in}] 
  13:  fail  to  agree  with  be  in  violation  of  as  of  rules  or 
  patterns;  "He  violated  the  agreement  to  stay  away  from 
  his  ex-wife";  "You  are  breaking  the  law!"  [syn:  {violate}, 
  {go  against}]  [ant:  {conform  to}] 
  14:  surpass  in  excellence;  "She  bettered  her  own  record";  "break 
  a  record"  [syn:  {better}] 
  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;  "The  aution  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"  [syn:  {disclose},  {let  on},  {bring  out},  {reveal}, 
  {discover},  {expose},  {declare},  {divulge},  {impart},  {give 
  away},  {let  out}] 
  16:  come  into  being  "light  broke  over  the  horizon";  "Voices 
  broke  in  the  air" 
  17:  stop  operating  or  functioning;  "The  engine  finally  went"; 
  "The  car  died  on  the  road";  "The  bus  we  travelled  in 
  broke  down  on  the  way  to  town";  "The  coffe  maker  broke"; 
  "The  engine  failed  on  the  way  to  town"  [syn:  {fail},  {give 
  way},  {die},  {give  out},  {conk  out},  {go},  {break  down}] 
  18:  interrupt  a  continued  activity;  "She  had  broken  with  the 
  traditional  patterns"  [syn:  {break  away}] 
  19:  make  a  rupture  in  the  ranks  of  the  enemy  or  one's  own  by 
  quitting  or  fleeing  (military  usage);  "The  ranks  broke" 
  20:  curl  over  and  fall  apart  in  surf  or  foam,  of  waves;  "The 
  surf  broke" 
  21:  lessen  in  force  or  effect;  "soften  a  shock";  "break  a  fall" 
  [syn:  {dampen},  {damp},  {soften},  {weaken}] 
  22:  be  broken  in  "If  the  new  teacher  won't  break,  we'll  add 
  some  stress" 
  23:  come  to  an  end  "The  heat  wave  finally  broke  yesterday" 
  24:  vary  or  interrupt  a  uniformity  or  continuity;  "The  flat 
  plain  was  broken  by  sharply  mesas" 
  25:  cause  to  give  up  a  habit;  "She  finally  broke  herself  of 
  smoking  cigarettes" 
  26:  give  up:  "break  cigarette  smoking" 
  27:  come  forth  or  begin  from  a  state  of  latency;  "The  first 
  winter  storm  broke  over  New  York" 
  28:  happen  or  take  place  "Things  have  been  breaking  pretty  well 
  for  us  in  the  past  few  months"  (informal) 
  29:  cause  the  failure  or  ruin  of  "His  peccadilloes  finally 
  broke  his  marriage";  "This  play  will  either  make  or  break 
  the  playwright"  [ant:  {make}] 
  30:  invalidate  by  judicial  action  "The  will  was  broken" 
  31:  stop  or  interrupt;  "He  broke  the  engagement";  "We  had  to 
  break  our  plans  for  a  trip  to  China" 
  32:  divide  into  pieces,  as  by  bending  or  cutting;  "break  the 
  loaf  of  bread";  "break  the  crackers" 
  33:  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}] 
  34:  assign  to  a  lower  position;  reduce  in  rank;  "She  was  demoted 
  because  she  always  speaks  up"  [syn:  {demote},  {bump},  {relegate}, 
  {kick  downstairs}]  [ant:  {promote}] 
  35:  reduce  to  bankruptcy;  "My  daughter's  fancy  wedding  is  going 
  to  break  me!"  [syn:  {bankrupt},  {ruin}] 
  36:  change  directions  suddenly 
  37:  emerge  from  the  surface,  as  of  fish  in  water;  "The  whales 
  broke" 
  38:  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}] 
  39:  do  a  break  dance;  "Kids  were  break-dancing  at  the  street 
  corner"  [syn:  {break  dance},  {break-dance}] 
  40:  exchange  for  smaller  units  of  money;  "I  had  to  break  a  $100 
  bill  just  to  buy  the  candy" 
  41:  destroy  the  completeness  of  a  set  of  related  items;  "The 
  book  dealer  would  not  break  the  set"  [syn:  {break  up}] 
  42:  make  the  opening  shot  that  scatters  the  balls,  in  billiards 
  or  pool 
  43:  separate  from  a  clinch,  in  boxing;  "The  referee  broke  the 
  boxers" 
  44:  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}] 
  45:  break  a  piece  from  a  whole;  "break  a  branch  from  a  tree" 
  [syn:  {break  off},  {snap  off}] 
  46:  pierce  the  surface  of  "The  fish  broke  the  water" 
  47:  become  punctured  or  penetrated:  "The  skin  broke" 
  48:  pierce  or  penetrate;  "The  blade  broke  her  skin" 
  49:  be  released  or  become  known  of  news  "News  of  her  death 
  broke  in  the  morning"  [syn:  {get  out},  {get  around}] 
  50:  cease  an  action  temporarily;  "We  pause  for  station 
  identification";  "let's  break  for  lunch"  [syn:  {pause},  {intermit}] 
  51:  interrupt  the  flow  of  current  in  "break  a  circuit" 
  52:  undergo  breaking;  "The  simple  vowels  broke  in  many  Germanic 
  languages" 
  53:  find  a  flaw  in:  "break  an  alibi" 
  54:  find  the  solution  or  key  to  "break  the  code" 
  55:  change  suddenly  from  one  tone  quality  or  register  to 
  another;  "Her  voice  broke  to  a  whisper  when  she  started 
  to  talk  about  her  children" 
  56:  stop  and  wait,  as  if  awaiting  further  instructions  or 
  developments;  "Hold  on  a  moment!";  "We  broke  at  noon" 
  [syn:  {hold  on},  {stop}] 
  57:  happen,  as  of  an  event;  "Report  the  news  as  it  develops" 
  [syn:  {develop}] 
  58:  become  fractured;  break  or  crack  on  the  surface  only;  "The 
  glass  cracked  when  it  was  heated"  [syn:  {crack},  {check}] 
  59:  of  the  male  voice  in  puberty;  "his  voice  is  breaking--he 
  should  no  longer  sing  in  the  choir" 
  60:  fall  sharply;  "stock  prices  broke" 
  61:  fracture  a  bone  of:  "I  broke  my  foot  while  playing  hockey" 
  [syn:  {fracture}] 
  62:  diminish  or  discontinue  abruptly;  "The  patient's  fever  broke 
  last  night" 
  63:  weaken  or  destroy  in  spirit  or  body;  "For  a  hero  loves  the 
  world  till  it  breaks  him"--Yeats 
 
  From  Jargon  File  (4.2.3,  23  NOV  2000)  [jargon]: 
 
  break  1.  vt  To  cause  to  be  {broken}  (in  any  sense).  "Your 
  latest  patch  to  the  editor  broke  the  paragraph  commands."  2.  v.  (of  a 
  program)  To  stop  temporarily,  so  that  it  may  debugged.  The  place  where  it 
  stops  is  a  `breakpoint'.  3.  [techspeak]  vi  To  send  an  RS-232  break  (two 
  character  widths  of  line  high)  over  a  serial  comm  line  4.  [Unix]  vi  To 
  strike  whatever  key  currently  causes  the  tty  driver  to  send  SIGINT  to  the 
  current  process.  Normally,  break  (sense  3),  delete  or  {control-C}  does 
  this  5.  `break  break'  may  be  said  to  interrupt  a  conversation  (this  is 
  an  example  of  verb  doubling).  This  usage  comes  from  radio  communications, 
  which  in  turn  probably  came  from  landline  telegraph/teleprinter  usage, 
  as  badly  abused  in  the  Citizen's  Band  craze  a  few  years  ago. 
 
 
 
  From  The  Free  On-line  Dictionary  of  Computing  (13  Mar  01)  [foldoc]: 
 
  break 
 
  1.  To  cause  to  be  {broken}  (in  any  sense).  "Your  latest  patch 
  to  the  editor  broke  the  paragraph  commands." 
 
  2.  (Of  a  program)  To  stop  temporarily,  so  that  it  may 
  debugged.  The  place  where  it  stops  is  a  "{breakpoint}". 
 
  3.  To  send  an  {EIA-232}  break  (two  character  widths  of  line 
  high)  over  a  {serial  line}. 
 
  4.  [Unix]  To  strike  whatever  key  currently  causes  the  tty 
  driver  to  send  SIGINT  to  the  current  process.  Normally, 
  break,  delete  or  {control-C}  does  this 
 
  5.  "break  break"  may  be  said  to  interrupt  a  conversation  (this 
  is  an  example  of  verb  doubling).  This  usage  comes  from  radio 
  communications,  which  in  turn  probably  came  from  landline 
  telegraph/teleprinter  usage,  as  badly  abused  in  the  Citizen's 
  Band  craze  a  few  years  ago. 
 
  6.  {pipeline  break}. 
 
  [{Jargon  File}] 
 
 




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