break
1 breaking in two
2 breaking completely (into many pieces)
3 easy or difficult to break
machines which are broken and do not work MACHINE
see also JOIN, REPAIR
1 breaking in two
- to separate into two or more pieces: break*; to cause sth to do this: break* sth; adjective: broken
How did the teapot get broken? ◎ She broke her arm skiing. ◎ a broken window
- to separate into two pieces: break* in two/half
It slipped from my fingers and broke in two on the kitchen floor.
- to break in two suddenly, with a sharp noise: snap; the sound you hear when this happens: snap
I was bending the stick and it suddenly snapped. ◎ It broke in half with a snap.
- to break into two or more parts from end to end: split*; to cause this to happen: split* sth; the place where sth has split: split
The boots were old and the leather had split. ◎ He split the wood with an axe. ◎ There was a huge split in the trunk of the tree.
- to separate from sth larger: break*/come* off (sth); to cause sth to do this: break* sth off (sth)
The handle has broken off my cup. ◎ One of the legs has come off this chair. ◎ Can you break a bit of chocolate off for me?
- to remove sth from sth larger by using force: pull sth off (sth)
I accidentally pulled the handle off the door!
- to break so that a line appears, but without breaking into pieces: crack; to cause this to happen: crack sth; a line made in this way: crack
The water was too hot and the glass cracked. ◎ There was a long crack down the middle of the mirror.
- to break a small piece off the edge or the surface of sth made of glass or china: chip sth; a small piece that has broken off, or a place where a small piece has broken off: chip
Most of our cups and saucers are chipped. ◎ The plate had a chip in it.
2 breaking completely (into many pieces)
- to separate into a lot of small pieces: break* into pieces, fall* to pieces, disintegrate; noun (U): disintegration
The plant pot fell to pieces when I picked it up.
- to cause sth to separate into a lot of small pieces: break* sth into pieces/bits
All the toys had been broken into pieces.
- (used about sth that has different parts) to separate into pieces: come*/fall* apart
It was a very old book and it just came apart as I was reading it.
- to break under force or pressure: give* way, collapse; noun: collapse
The platform gave way under the weight of all the people. ◎ The collapse of the stand led to the loss of many lives.
- a boat or aeroplane that breaks into a lot of pieces breaks* up
The ship broke up on the rocks.
- to break sth in such a way that it will never be repaired: destroy sth, smash sth (up)
- to press or break a hard object into very small pieces or into powder: crush sth
This machine crushes the rock into small pieces.
- to break into long, thin, sharp pieces: splinter; a long, thin, sharp piece of wood, metal or glass that has broken off a larger piece: splinter
- to break into very small pieces: shatter; to break glass into very small pieces: shatter sth, smash sth
The glass fell and shattered on the floor. ◎ The force of the explosion shattered all the windows in the area.
- if sth has broken or has been broken into many pieces, it is in pieces
- one of the small pieces into which sth breaks: fragment
The police found nothing but some fragments of bone.
- the pieces from sth that has crashed to the ground or been destroyed: debris (noun U)
The debris from the plane crash was scattered over a wide area.
- pieces of broken brick, stone, etc, especially from a damaged building: rubble (noun U)
- if sth is broken in any way, or is not in perfect order, it is damaged
※ ways in which things can be damaged DAMAGE
3 easy or difficult to break
- if sth can be broken easily, it is fragile; if it is not easily broken, it is strong, tough; if it cannot be broken, it is unbreakable
Be careful - that vase is very fragile.
- to make sth stronger so that it will not break easily: strengthen sth, toughen sth
toughened glass
- if sth is hard, but it is still easily broken, it is brittle
brittle bones
- if sth bends easily without breaking, it is flexible
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