Definitions
How to pronounce breaks:
Breaks - as a noun
Some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity
Example: "The telephone is an annoying interruption"
An unexpected piece of good luck
Example: "He finally got his big break"
(geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other
Example: "They built it right over a geological fault"
A personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)
Example: "They hoped to avoid a break in relations"
A pause from doing something (as work)
Example: "We took a 10-minute break"
The act of breaking something
Example: "The breakage was unavoidable"
A time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
Breaking of hard tissue such as bone
Example: "It was a nasty fracture"
The occurrence of breaking
Example: "The break in the dam threatened the valley"
An abrupt change in the tone or register of the voice (as at puberty or due to emotion)
Example: "Then there was a break in her voice"
The opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool
(tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving
Example: "He was up two breaks in the second set"
An act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
Example: "It was presented without commercial breaks"
A sudden dash
Example: "He made a break for the open door"
Any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare
Example: "The break in the eighth frame cost him the match"
An escape from jail
Example: "The breakout was carefully planned"
Breaks - as a verb
Terminate or end
Example: "She interrupted her pregnancy"
Become separated into pieces or fragments
Example: "The figurine broke"
Render inoperable or ineffective
Example: "You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!"
Ruin completely
Example: "He busted my radio!"
Destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments
Example: "He broke the glass plate"
Act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises
Example: "Offend all laws of humanity"
Move away or escape suddenly
Example: "The horses broke from the stable"
Scatter or part
Example: "The clouds broke after the heavy downpour"
Force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up
Example: "Break into tears"
Prevent completion
Example: "Stop the project"
Enter someone's (virtual or real) property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act
Example: "Someone broke in while i was on vacation"
Make submissive, obedient, or useful
Example: "The horse was tough to break"
Fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns
Example: "This sentence violates the rules of syntax"
Make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
Example: "The auction house would not disclose the price at which the van gogh had sold"
Come into being
Example: "Light broke over the horizon"
Stop operating or functioning
Example: "The engine finally went"
Interrupt a continued activity
Example: "She had broken with the traditional patterns"
Make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing
Example: "The ranks broke"
Curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves
Example: "The surf broke"
Lessen in force or effect
Example: "Soften a shock"
Be broken in
Example: "If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress"
Come to an end
Example: "The heat wave finally broke yesterday"
Vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity
Example: "The flat plain was broken by tall mesas"
Cause to give up a habit
Example: "She finally broke herself of smoking cigarettes"
Give up
Example: "Break cigarette smoking"
Come forth or begin from a state of latency
Example: "The first winter storm broke over new york"
Happen or take place
Example: "Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months"
Cause the failure or ruin of
Example: "His peccadilloes finally broke his marriage"
Invalidate by judicial action
Example: "The will was broken"
Discontinue an association or relation; go different ways
Example: "The business partners broke over a tax question"
Assign to a lower position; reduce in rank
Example: "She was demoted because she always speaks up"
Reduce to bankruptcy
Example: "My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!"
Change directions suddenly
Emerge from the surface of a body of water
Example: "The whales broke"
Break down, literally or metaphorically
Example: "The wall collapsed"
Do a break dance
Example: "Kids were break-dancing at the street corner"
Exchange for smaller units of money
Example: "I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy"
Destroy the completeness of a set of related items
Example: "The book dealer would not break the set"
Make the opening shot that scatters the balls
Separate from a clinch, in boxing
Example: "The referee broke the boxers"
Go to pieces
Example: "The lawn mower finally broke"
Break a piece from a whole
Example: "Break a branch from a tree"
Become punctured or penetrated
Example: "The skin broke"
Pierce or penetrate
Example: "The blade broke her skin"
Be released or become known; of news
Example: "News of her death broke in the morning"
Cease an action temporarily
Example: "We pause for station identification"
Interrupt the flow of current in
Example: "Break a circuit"
Undergo breaking
Example: "The simple vowels broke in many germanic languages"
Find a flaw in
Example: "Break an alibi"
Find the solution or key to
Example: "Break the code"
Change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another
Example: "Her voice broke to a whisper when she started to talk about her children"
Become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
Example: "The glass cracked when it was heated"
Crack; of the male voice in puberty
Example: "His voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir"
Fall sharply
Example: "Stock prices broke"
Fracture a bone of
Example: "I broke my foot while playing hockey"
Diminish or discontinue abruptly
Example: "The patient's fever broke last night"
Weaken or destroy in spirit or body
Example: "His resistance was broken"
Example Sentences
Word Game Points
BREAKS has a SCRABBLE points total of 12.
BREAKS has a WORDS WITH FRIENDS points total of 13.
BREAKS has a WORDFEUD points total of 13.
