brake
gb/bɹˈeɪk/ us/bɹˈeɪk/
A2
English
~ 6600
fék, fékez, visszafogó tényező, visszafog, saspáfrány
NOUN
A2
1
fék
A2
The car’s brakes failed on the steep hill.
Az autó fékei felmondták a szolgálatot a meredek lejtőn.
You should get your brakes checked before a long trip.
Hosszú út előtt érdemes ellenőriztetned a fékeket.
Newer bikes often have disc brakes on both wheels.
He heard the screech of brakes and a loud crash.
The mechanic said the front brakes were badly worn.
Learner examples
I pressed the brakes to stop the car.
Ráléptem a fékre, hogy megállítsam az autót.
The bus has very strong brakes.
A busznak nagyon erős fékei vannak.
My bike brakes do not work well.
She heard the brakes when the car stopped.
The garage fixed the brakes on my car.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse the spelling of "brake" (to slow or stop) with "break" (to separate into pieces or stop working). For cars and bikes, always use "brake/brakes" for the stopping device.
Meaning
device that slows or stops movement
Collocations
hit the brakes
|slam on the brakes
|car brakes
|front and rear brakes
|apply the brakes
|brake failure
Synonyms
braking system (Usually refers to the whole system of parts that make a vehicle stop, not just one brake.)
Antonyms
accelerator (The pedal that makes a vehicle go faster, doing the opposite of the brakes.)
Themes
transport
|technology
|daily_life
|transportation
Definition
A part of a car, bike, or other machine that makes it go slower or stop.
A mechanical device on a vehicle or machine that uses friction to slow it down or bring it to a stop.
VERB
A2
2
fékez
A2
Usage pattern:
to brake [vehicle]
You should brake gently on wet roads.
Vizes úton finoman kell fékezni.
The driver braked hard to avoid the dog.
A sofőr hirtelen nagyot fékezett, hogy ne üsse el a kutyát.
Train drivers must brake well before the station.
He braked too late and hit the car in front.
She forgot to brake as she came to the stop sign.
Learner examples
Please brake before the red light.
Kérlek, fékezz a piros lámpa előtt.
You must brake when you see people on the road.
Fékezned kell, ha embereket látsz az úton.
He braked quickly and the car stopped.
I braked when I saw the child.
She did not brake in time.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "stop" instead of "brake". "Stop" is the general action, but "brake" is the action of using the brake. For example, "He stopped the car" is general; "He braked hard" focuses on using the brake pedal.
Meaning
use brakes to slow or stop
Collocations
brake hard
|brake suddenly
|brake gently
|brake to a stop
|learn to brake
|fail to brake
Synonyms
slow down (A more general verb that does not necessarily imply using a mechanical brake.)
Antonyms
accelerate (Means to increase speed, the opposite of braking.)
Themes
transport
|daily_life
|transportation
Definition
To make a car, bike, or other machine go slower or stop by using the brake.
To use a brake to slow down or stop a moving vehicle or machine.
NOUN
B2
3
fék
B2
High interest rates are a brake on economic growth.
A magas kamatlábak visszafogják a gazdasági növekedést.
The new regulations will act as a brake on innovation.
Az új szabályozások fékezően hatnak majd az innovációra.
Rising costs have put a brake on the company’s expansion plans.
Lack of funding is the main brake on further research.
Public opinion can be an effective brake on government power.
Learner examples
High prices are a brake on sales.
A magas árak visszafogják az eladásokat.
New rules put a brake on the project.
Az új szabályok visszafogták a projekt előrehaladását.
Lack of money is a brake on his plans.
The law is a brake on bad behavior.
Fear can be a brake on change.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that "brake" can be used for abstract things like growth or inflation, not just cars and bikes. In this sense it is usually singular and often followed by "on" (a brake on growth, a brake on spending).
Meaning
thing that limits or slows progress
Collocations
a brake on inflation
|a brake on growth
|put a brake on [something]
|act as a brake
|remove the brake on [something]
Synonyms
restraint (A formal word that often suggests control or limits, not always about speed or progress.)
Antonyms
boost (Suggests something that increases or speeds up progress, the opposite of a brake.)
Themes
politics
|business
|abstract
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Something that makes progress slower or stops it.
Something that slows, limits, or restrains progress, growth, or activity.
VERB
C1
4
Usage pattern:
to brake [process]
The government introduced new taxes to brake consumer spending.
A kormány új adókat vezetett be, hogy fékezze a fogyasztói kiadásokat.
Strict rules were brought in to brake the spread of the disease.
Szigorú szabályokat vezettek be, hogy fékezzék a betegség terjedését.
Efforts to brake global warming have not been strong enough.
Higher interest rates may help brake inflation.
These policies are designed to brake the rise in unemployment.
Learner examples
New laws try to brake crime in the city.
Az új törvények megpróbálják fékezni a bűnözést a városban.
The company cut jobs to brake its losses.
A vállalat munkahelyeket szüntetett meg, hogy mérsékelje a veszteségeit.
We must brake the rise in prices.
Strong action is needed to brake climate change.
The manager wants to brake the fast growth of costs.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse the more basic verb "stop" in formal writing where English speakers often choose verbs like "curb", "limit", or sometimes figurative "brake" (e.g. "measures to brake inflation"). Also, this sense is more written than spoken.
Meaning
limit or restrain progress
Collocations
brake inflation
|brake demand
|brake spending
|efforts to brake climate change
|measures to brake unemployment
Synonyms
curb (Frequently used in news for limiting negative trends, very similar but slightly more common than figurative "brake".)
Antonyms
fuel (Means to increase or feed something, especially a trend or emotion, the opposite of braking it.)
Themes
business
|politics
|abstract
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make progress or activity slower or smaller.
To slow down, limit, or restrain the development or activity of something.
NOUN
C2
TECHNICAL
5
saspáfrány
C2
The hillside was covered in thick brake and heather.
A domboldalt sűrű saspáfrány és hanga borította.
Cattle were grazing among the tall brake ferns.
A marhák magas saspáfrányok között legeltek.
The path wound through an area of brake and low scrub.
Learner examples
Old books sometimes use the word brake for a fern.
Régi könyvekben az angol brake szó néha páfrányfélét jelent.
The brake fern grew tall in the field.
A saspáfrány magasra nőtt a mezőn.
He walked through the wet brake after the rain.
Common mistake:
Learners often do not know this rare plant meaning and may think any use of "brake" refers to cars or bikes. In modern English, the plant sense is uncommon and often replaced by "bracken".
Meaning
a fern, also called bracken
Collocations
fields of brake
|brake fern
|brake and heather
Synonyms
bracken (The more common modern term for this type of fern.)
Themes
nature
|plants
Definition
A kind of fern plant that grows in open fields and woods; another word for bracken.
A type of fern with large, divided fronds, commonly found in fields and woods, also known as bracken.
Grammar
Dictionary form
brake
IPA
GB/bɹˈeɪk/
US/bɹˈeɪk/
Syllables & stress
brake (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (brake)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: brake
- Plural: brake, brakes
Verb
- Base: brake
- 3rd Person Singular: brakes
- Present Participle: braking
- Past: braked
Word family
Forms
brakes
noun
braking
verb
braked
verb
Negative and opposite forms
brakeless
adjective
Expressions
apply the brakes
1/əplˈaɪ ðə bɹˈeɪks/
fixed phrase
start using the brakes
To start using the brakes of a vehicle or machine to slow it down.
Examples
- The driver applied the brakes as he approached the junction.
- You should apply the brakes gently on wet roads.
- The system automatically applies the brakes if it senses a collision.
brake pedal
1/bɹˈeɪk pˈɛdəl/
fixed phrase
pedal that controls the brakes
The pedal you press with your foot in a car to use the brakes.
Examples
- Press the brake pedal with your right foot.
- Her foot slipped off the brake pedal.
- He confused the gas pedal and the brake pedal.
ease off the brakes
1/ˈiz ˈɔf ðə bɹˈeɪks/
idiom
reduce pressure on the brakes
To press the brakes less so that the vehicle can move more freely or faster.
Examples
- Ease off the brakes as you come out of the corner.
- He eased off the brakes and the car picked up speed.
- The coach told her to ease off the brakes on the final lap.
emergency brake
1/ɪmˈɚd͡ʒənsi bɹˈeɪk/
fixed phrase
secondary brake for emergencies
A special brake in a vehicle, used to keep it from moving when parked or to help stop it in an emergency.
Examples
- Always use the emergency brake when you park on a hill.
- He pulled the emergency brake when the main brakes failed.
- The emergency brake stopped the train just in time.
hit the brakes
1/hˈɪt ðə bɹˈeɪks/
idiom
suddenly use the brakes
To suddenly use the brakes of a moving vehicle to make it slow down or stop.
Examples
- I had to hit the brakes when the car in front of me stopped.
- He hit the brakes too late and bumped the truck.
- The driver hit the brakes as soon as he saw the red light.
pump the brakes
1/pˈʌmp ðə bɹˈeɪks/
idiom
informal
press brakes repeatedly; figuratively slow down
Literally, to press and release the brakes again and again. Informally, to tell someone (or yourself) to slow down, calm down, or not move too fast with an idea or plan.
Examples
- On ice, it’s safer to gently pump the brakes.
- Okay, let’s pump the brakes and think about this plan.
- He needs to pump the brakes on his spending.
put the brakes on
1/pˈʊt ðə bɹˈeɪks ˈɔn/
idiom
slow down or stop something
To make a process, activity, or plan slower or stop it, often because of worry or problems.
Examples
- The company decided to put the brakes on new hiring.
- Rising costs have put the brakes on the project.
- The government is putting the brakes on further spending increases.
ride the brakes
1/ɹˈaɪd ðə bɹˈeɪks/
idiom
keep brakes slightly on while driving
To keep your foot on the brake pedal while driving so the brakes are slightly on all the time.
Examples
- Don’t ride the brakes going downhill or they’ll overheat.
- The instructor told him not to ride the brakes in heavy traffic.
- If you ride the brakes, you’ll wear them out faster.
step on the brake
1/stˈɛp ˈɔn ðə bɹˈeɪk/
fixed phrase
press the brake pedal
To press the brake pedal with your foot to slow or stop a vehicle.
Examples
- When you see the stop sign, step on the brake.
- She forgot to step on the brake and rolled into the car ahead.
- You need to step on the brake more gently.
slam on the brakes
1/slˈæm ˈɔn ðə bɹˈeɪks/
idiom
Brake suddenly and hard
To push down hard on a car's brake pedal very quickly to stop fast.
Examples
- He had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting the dog.
- She slammed on the brakes when the light turned red.
slam on the brakes
2/slˈæm ˈɔn ðə bɹˈeɪks/
idiom
informal
press brakes very hard, suddenly
To press the brakes of a moving vehicle very hard and very suddenly.
Examples
- She slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting the cyclist.
- The bus driver slammed on the brakes and everyone lurched forward.
- You’ll skid if you slam on the brakes on ice.