Idioms for break

Origin of break

before 900; Middle English breken, Old English brecan; cognate with Dutch breken, German brechen, Gothic brikan; akin to Latin frangere; see fragile

synonym study for break

1. Break, crush, shatter, smash mean to reduce to parts, violently or by force. Break means to divide by means of a blow, a collision, a pull, or the like: to break a chair, a leg, a strap. To crush is to subject to (usually heavy or violent) pressure so as to press out of shape or reduce to shapelessness or to small particles: to crush a beetle. To shatter is to break in such a way as to cause the pieces to fly in many directions: to shatter a light globe. To smash is to break noisily and suddenly into many pieces: to smash a glass.

OTHER WORDS FROM break

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH break

brake break

British Dictionary definitions for break out (1 of 2)

break out

verb

noun break-out

an escape, esp from prison or confinement
  1. a great success, esp following relatively disappointing performance
  2. (as modifier)a breakout year

British Dictionary definitions for break out (2 of 2)

break
/ (breɪk) /

verb breaks, breaking, broke or broken

noun

interjection

boxing wrestling a command by a referee for two opponents to separate

Word Origin for break

Old English brecan; related to Old Frisian breka, Gothic brikan, Old High German brehhan, Latin frangere Sanskrit bhráj bursting forth

Idioms and Phrases with break out (1 of 2)

break out

1

Develop suddenly and forcefully. For example, A fire broke out last night, or He broke out in a sweat. [a.d. 1000]

2

Be affected with a skin eruption, such as a rash or boils, as in A teenager's face often breaks out in pimples. [c. 1300]

3

Prepare something for consumption, action, or use, as in Let's break out the champagne, or It's such a fine day—let's break out the fishing rods. [Early 1800s]

4

break out of. Force out by breaking; also, escape from confinement. For example, The hurricane broke the glass out of all the windows, or He broke out of prison but was soon apprehended. [Early 1600s]

5

Isolate a portion of a body of data, as in Please break out the sales figures from the quarterly report. [Mid-1900s]

Idioms and Phrases with break out (2 of 2)

break