break
gb/bɹˈeɪk/ us/bɹˈeɪk/
A1
Inglese
~ 2200
Accezioni
0 accezioni
Verbo
A2
action
1
Cause to separate into pieces
To make something come apart into pieces by hitting, dropping, or bending it.
Schema d'uso:
to break [something]
Errore comune:
Learners sometimes confuse 'break' with 'destroy'. 'Destroy' means to ruin completely, while 'break' means to make something come apart or stop working.
Sinonimi
shatter (Implies breaking into many small, sharp pieces, often with force and noise.)
Contrari
repair (Means to fix something that is broken so it can be used again.)
Collocazioni
break a glass
|break a bone
|break the window
|break a plate
Temi
daily life
|objects
|accidents
|core_vocabulary
Esempi
- Be careful not to break the vase.
- She broke her phone when she dropped it on the floor.
- The kids accidentally broke the window while playing.
Esempi per chi studia
- I broke my cup.
- He broke the chair.
- We broke the door by mistake.
Verbo
A2
action
2
Stop briefly from activity
To stop doing something for a short time to rest or do something else.
Schema d'uso:
to break for [something]
Sinonimi
pause (A more general term for stopping briefly, often without physical rest.)
Contrari
continue (Means to keep doing something without stopping.)
Collocazioni
break for lunch
|break the meeting
|break for coffee
Temi
daily life
|work
|time
|daily_life
Esempi
- Let's break for lunch at noon.
- The teacher broke the class for a short break.
- We broke the meeting to take some calls.
Esempi per chi studia
- We break for lunch at 12.
- The class breaks at 10:30.
- Let's break now.
Verbo
A2
action
3
Cause to stop working
To make something not work anymore.
Schema d'uso:
to break [machine/device]
Sinonimi
damage (A broader term that can mean harm without complete failure.)
Contrari
fix (Means to repair something so it works again.)
Collocazioni
break the computer
|break the engine
|break the lock
Temi
technology
|daily life
|daily_life
Esempi
- She broke her laptop by spilling coffee on it.
- The storm broke the satellite dish.
- I think I broke the printer when I tried to fix it.
Esempi per chi studia
- I broke my phone.
- He broke the TV.
- We broke the car engine.
Sostantivo
A1
event
4
Short rest from activity
A short time when you stop working or doing something.
Sinonimi
pause (A shorter or less formal stop than a full break.)
Contrari
continuation (Means carrying on without stopping.)
Collocazioni
coffee break
|lunch break
|short break
Temi
daily life
|work
|time
|daily_life
Esempi
- Let's take a coffee break before we continue.
- The workers get two breaks each day.
- After a short break, they went back to work.
Esempi per chi studia
- We have a break at 3 pm.
- Let's take a short break.
- I need a break now.
Verbo
B1
action
5
Fail to follow rule/agreement
To not do what a rule, law, or promise says you must do.
Schema d'uso:
to break [law/rule/promise]
Sinonimi
violate (More formal term used in legal contexts.)
Contrari
keep (Means to honor or follow a rule or promise.)
Collocazioni
break the law
|break a promise
|break the rules
Temi
law
|ethics
|core_vocabulary
Esempi
- He broke the law by driving without a license.
- You shouldn't break your promises.
- They broke the agreement after just one month.
Esempi per chi studia
- Don't break the rules.
- He broke his promise.
- We broke the law.
Verbo
B1
action
6
Interrupt continuity of something
To stop something that is going on without pause.
Sinonimi
interrupt (General term for stopping a continuous action or state.)
Contrari
maintain (Means to keep something going without interruption.)
Collocazioni
break the silence
|break concentration
|break the line
Temi
communication
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Esempi
- She broke the silence with a sudden laugh.
- His phone call broke my concentration.
- The fence was broken by the fallen tree.
Esempi per chi studia
- He broke my sleep.
- The noise broke the silence.
- She broke my thinking.
Verbo
A2
event
7
Separate into pieces unintentionally
To come apart into pieces by accident or because it is weak.
Sinonimi
snap (Often refers to quick breaking with a sharp sound.)
Contrari
hold together (Means to remain whole and unbroken.)
Collocazioni
rope breaks
|stick breaks
|glass breaks
Temi
daily life
|core_vocabulary
Esempi
- The rope broke under the weight.
- My glasses broke when I fell.
- The branch broke in the wind.
Esempi per chi studia
- The glass broke.
- The tree branch broke in the wind.
- My pen broke.
Grammatica
Forma base
break
IPA
GB/bɹˈeɪk/
US/bɹˈeɪk/
Sillabe e accento
break (1 sillaba)
Stress on 1st syllable (break)
Forme flesse
Noun
- Base: break
- Plural: break, breaks
Verb
- Base: break
- 3rd Person Singular: breaks
- Present Participle: breaking
- Past: broke
- Past Participle: broken
Famiglia di parole
Forms
Core family
breakable
adjective B1
Related words
breakdown
noun B1
breakthrough
noun B2
Negative and opposite forms
unbreakable
adjective
unbroken
adjective B1
Advanced or less common
breakage
noun
Punti chiave
- Irregular past: broke Verb
- Irregular past participle: broken Verb
Espressioni
break up
1/bɹˈeɪk ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
End relationship or disperse group
To end a romantic relationship, or to make people in a group go away from each other.
Esempi
- They decided to break up after five years together.
- The police broke up the crowd.
give me a break
1/ɡˈɪv mˈi ə bɹˈeɪk/
idiom
informal
Request relief or express disbelief/impatience
'Stop bothering me' or 'I don't believe that' depending on context.
Esempi
- Oh, give me a break! That can't be true.
- Give me a break, I've been working all day!
take a break
1/tˈeɪk ə bɹˈeɪk/
fixed phrase
Stop temporarily for rest/refreshment
To stop what you are doing for a short time so you can rest.
Esempi
- Let's take a break before we continue working.
- You should take a break if you feel tired.
break into
1/bɹˈeɪk ˈɪntu/
phrasal verb
Enter illegally or start suddenly
To go into a place by force without permission, or suddenly start doing something like singing or laughing.
Esempi
- Someone broke into their house last night.
- Someone tried to break into our house last night.
- Thieves broke into the store and stole jewelry.
- He broke into laughter during the speech.
break down
1/bɹˈeɪk dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
Stop working or collapse emotionally
When a machine stops working, or when a person starts crying or cannot control emotions anymore.
Esempi
- My car broke down on the way home.
- Our car broke down on the way to the airport.
- She broke down in tears when she heard the news.
- Let me break down the process so everyone can understand it.
- The washing machine has broken down again.
- She broke down in tears after hearing the news.
- The washing machine keeps breaking down, so we need a new one.
- He tried to stay calm but finally broke down during the interview.
- The teacher broke the problem down into three simple questions.
- The bus broke down in the middle of the journey and everyone had to get off.
- After days of stress, he broke down and asked for help.
- The article breaks down the new law in clear language.