break someone up Definition

break
verb broke (past tense), broken (past participle), breaking (present participle)

tr & intr
1. To divide or become divided into two or more parts as a result of stress or a blow.

Example: He broke my ruler in half
Thesaurus: burst, split, crack, rend, sunder, sever, fracture, cleave, rive, shatter, splinter, rupture.
intr
2a. Said of a machine or tool, etc: to become damaged, so as to stop working and be in need of repair;
2b. To damage (a machine or tool, etc) in such a way.
3. To fracture a bone in (a limb, etc).
4. To burst or cut (the skin, etc).
5. To do something not allowed by (a law, agreement, promise, etc); to violate something.

Example: broke the rules
6. To exceed or improve upon (a sporting record, etc).
intr
7. To stop work, etc for a short period of time.

Example: Let's break for tea
8. To interrupt (a journey, one's concentration, etc).
intr
9. Said of a boy's voice: to become lower in tone on reaching puberty.
10. To defeat or destroy something.

Example: break a strike
Thesaurus: demolish, destroy, batter, disintegrate, dilapidate, reduce, undermine, collapse.
11. To force open with explosives.

Example: break a safe
intr
12. Said of a storm: to begin violently.
tr & intr
13. Said of news, etc: to make or become known.

Example: He was away when the story broke
Example: had to break the bad news to her
intr
14. To disperse or scatter.

Example: The crowd broke up
Form: break up (also)
15. To reduce the force of (a fall or a blow, etc).
intr
16. Said of waves, etc: to collapse into foam.
17. To lose or disrupt the order or form of somethig.

Example: break ranks
intr
18. Said of the weather: to change suddenly, especially after a fine spell.
tr & intr
19. To cut or burst through.

Example: break the silence
Example: sun breaking through the clouds
intr
20. To come into being.

Example: day breaking over the hills
tr & intr
21. To make or become weaker.
22. To make someone bankrupt; to destroy them financially.
23. To decipher (a code, etc).
24. To disprove (an alibi, etc).
25. To interrupt the flow of electricity in (a circuit).
intr
26. snooker.
To take the first shot at the beginning of a game.
intr
27. tennis.
To win (an opponent's service game).
Form: break service (also)
Form: break someone's service
intr
28. boxing.
To come out of a clinch.
intr
29. cricket.
Said of a ball: to change direction on hitting the ground.
30. To make them give up (a bad habit, etc).

Form: break someone of something (usually)

noun

1. An act or result of breaking.

Thesaurus: rift, fracture, split, schism, breach, rupture, crack, tear, cleft, fissure.
2a. A pause, interval or interruption in some ongoing activity or situation;

Example: Let's take a break
Thesaurus: pause, intermission, interim, recess, hiatus, interlude, respite, suspension.
2b. A short interval in work or lessons, etc. US equivalent recess.

Example: Come and see me at break
Form: breaktime (also)
3. A change or shift from the usual or overall trend.

Example: a break in the weather
4. A sudden rush, especially to escape.

Example: make a break for it
5. colloq
A chance or opportunity to show one's ability, etc, often a sudden or unexpected one.
Example: After that first break, his career took off
Example: Give me a break
Thesaurus: opportunity, chance, fortune, advantage, opening, accident.
6. colloq
A piece of luck. Also in compounds.
Example: a bad break
Example: lucky break
7. snooker.billiards.
A series of successful shots played one after the other.
8. snooker.billiards etc.
The opening shot of a game.
9. tennis.
An instance of breaking service (see verb 27 above).
Form: break of service (also)
Form: service break
10. cricket.
The change of direction made by a ball on striking the ground.
11. An interruption in the electricity flowing through a circuit.
12. music.
In jazz, etc: a short improvised solo passage.

Idiom: break camp

To pack up the equipment after camping.

Idiom: break cover

Said eg of a fox: to make a dash from its hiding place; to come out of hiding.

Idiom: break into song (break into laughter etc)

To begin singing or laughing etc, especially unexpectedly.

Idiom: break loose (break free)

To escape from control.

To become detached.

Idiom: break it down!

(ustral & NZ)
colloq
Stop it!; cut it out! Brit equivalent give over.

Idiom: break new ground (break fresh ground)

To do something in an original way.

Idiom: break someone's heart

To devastate them emotionally, usually by failing or betraying them in love.

Idiom: break something open

To open (a box, door, etc) by force.

Idiom: break step

Said of soldiers, etc: to march out of step deliberately.

Idiom: break the back of something

To complete the heaviest or most difficult part of a job, etc.

Idiom: break the ice

colloq
To overcome the first awkwardness or shyness, etc, especially on a first meeting or in a new situation.

Idiom: break wind

To release gas from the bowels through the anus; to fart.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon brecan.

Phrasal Verb: break away

To escape from control, especially suddenly or forcibly.To put an end to one's connection with a group or custom, etc, especially suddenly. See also breakaway.

Phrasal Verb: break away from or out from something

To make a sudden forward movement or burst of speed away or out from it.

Phrasal Verb: break down

Said of a machine, etc: to stop working properly; to fail.To collapse, disintegrate or decompose.Said of a person: to give way to one's emotions; to burst into tears.Said of human relationships: to be unsuccessful and so come to an end.
Example: The marriage has broken down irretrievably
Said of a person: to suffer a nervous breakdown. See also breakdown.

Phrasal Verb: break something down

To use force to crush, demolish or knock it down.To divide into separate parts and analyse it. See also breakdown.
Example: We need to break down these figures

Phrasal Verb: break even

To make neither a profit nor a loss in a transaction.To reach the point at which income or revenue is exactly equal to spending or cost.

Phrasal Verb: break in

To enter a building by force, especially to steal things inside. See also break-in.
Example: Thieves broke in last night
To interrupt (a conversation, etc).

Phrasal Verb: break someone in

To train or familiarize them in a new job or role.

Phrasal Verb: break something in

To use or wear (new shoes or boots, etc) so that they lose their stiffness, etc.To train (a horse) to carry a saddle and a rider. See also broken-in.

Phrasal Verb: break off

To become detached by breaking.
Example: The top broke off
To come to an end abruptly.To stop talking.

Phrasal Verb: break something off

To detach it by breaking.To end (eg a relationship) abruptly.

Phrasal Verb: break out

To escape from a prison, etc using force.To begin suddenly and usually violently.
Example: then war broke out
To become suddenly covered in (spots or a rash, etc). See also breakout.

Phrasal Verb: break through

To force a way through.To make a new discovery or be successful, especially after a difficult or unsuccessful period. See also breakthrough.

Phrasal Verb: break up

To break into pieces.To come to an end; to finish.
Example: The meeting broke up early
Said of people: to end a relationship or marriage.
Example: His parents have broken up
Said of a school or a pupil: to end term and begin the holidays. See also break-up.

Phrasal Verb: break someone up

To make them laugh convulsively.
Example: You break me up when you do that

Phrasal Verb: break something up

To divide it into pieces.To make it finish or come to an end. See also break-up.

Phrasal Verb: break with someone

To stop associating with them.