breakdown
gb/bɹˈeɪkdˌaʊn/ us/bɹˈeɪkdˌaʊn/
B1
Kiingereza
~ 7900
Maana
maana 0
Nomino
B1
event
1
sudden failure of a machine
A time when a machine or car stops working and cannot be used.
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners often confuse the noun "breakdown" with the verb phrase "break down". Use "have a breakdown" (noun) for the event, and "the car broke down" (verb) for the action.
Visawe
malfunction (More technical and often used for smaller faults, not always a total stop.)
Vinyume
smooth running (Describes a machine or system working without problems, the opposite of a breakdown.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
car breakdown
|engine breakdown
|mechanical breakdown
|sudden breakdown
|breakdown service
|roadside breakdown
Mada
transport
|technology
|daily life
|transportation
Mifano
- We were late because our car had a breakdown on the highway.
- The factory suffered a major breakdown that stopped production for two days.
- Make sure your insurance covers breakdowns while you are abroad.
- A sudden power breakdown left the whole neighborhood in darkness.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- Their car had a breakdown on the way to work.
- We waited an hour for the breakdown truck to arrive.
- The bus breakdown caused a long delay.
- I’m afraid of a breakdown when I drive an old car.
Nomino
B2
event
2
sudden mental or emotional collapse
A very serious time when someone cannot control their mind or emotions because of too much stress.
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes use "breakdown" for any normal sadness or tiredness. A breakdown is much more serious than just feeling sad or stressed; it suggests a crisis in mental or emotional health.
Visawe
meltdown (More informal and often used for a shorter, less clinical emotional loss of control.)
Vinyume
recovery (Refers to returning to normal mental health after a breakdown.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
nervous breakdown
|mental breakdown
|emotional breakdown
|have a breakdown
|on the verge of a breakdown
Mada
health
|emotions
|psychology
Mifano
- After months of working seven days a week, he suffered a breakdown.
- She was close to a nervous breakdown and finally took time off work.
- His breakdown came after a long period of stress and lack of sleep.
- The film shows a successful lawyer’s slow breakdown under pressure.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- He had a breakdown after he lost his job.
- She is afraid of having another nervous breakdown.
- The doctor said his breakdown was caused by stress.
- After her breakdown, she stayed in hospital for two weeks.
Nomino
B1
entity
3
detailed division into parts
A clear list that shows the different parts of something, such as costs, numbers, or groups.
Muundo wa matumizi:
a breakdown of [something]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes say "*divide down" or "*explain down" instead of asking for a "breakdown" of numbers or information. Use "a breakdown of X" when you want to see the parts or groups of X.
Visawe
analysis (Broader and more general; a breakdown often focuses on listing or grouping parts clearly.)
Vinyume
summary (Gives only the main points, while a breakdown shows the detailed parts.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
cost breakdown
|breakdown of expenses
|breakdown of results
|breakdown by category
|detailed breakdown
|provide a breakdown
Mada
business
|math
|education
|work
|finance
|communication
Mifano
- The invoice includes a full breakdown of all the charges.
- The report gives a breakdown of student performance by age and gender.
- Could you send me a breakdown of the project costs?
- Here’s a breakdown of our sales by region for last year.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- The bill shows a breakdown of the price.
- We need a breakdown of our monthly spending.
- The teacher gave a breakdown of the exam scores.
- This chart is a breakdown of our customers by country.
Nomino
B2
event
4
failure of a system or process
A time when a system, process, or relationship stops working well or stops working at all.
Muundo wa matumizi:
a breakdown in [system/relationship]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes say "*communication was breakdown" instead of "there was a breakdown in communication" or "communication broke down". Use the noun "a breakdown in X" or the verb phrase "X broke down".
Visawe
collapse (Often stronger, suggesting a sudden and total failure of the system or relationship.)
Vinyume
proper functioning (Describes a system or relationship working as it should, opposite of a breakdown.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
breakdown in communication
|breakdown of law and order
|marriage breakdown
|complete breakdown
|breakdown of negotiations
Mada
society
|politics
|communication
|work
|business
|relationships
Mifano
- A breakdown in communication led to serious mistakes in the project.
- The talks ended in a complete breakdown of negotiations.
- Many people blamed the crisis on a breakdown of trust in government.
- There has been a breakdown of law and order in the region.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- There was a breakdown in communication between the teams.
- Their marriage ended after a long breakdown in trust.
- The meeting failed because of a breakdown of negotiations.
- A breakdown of order followed the protest.
Nomino
technical
B2
event
5
chemical or biological decomposition
The process when a chemical or food is broken into smaller, simpler parts, often in the body or in nature.
Muundo wa matumizi:
the breakdown of [substance]
Kosa la kawaida:
No specific common mistake is strongly associated with this technical sense, apart from general confusion with everyday senses like mechanical failure.
Visawe
decomposition (More formal scientific term; very close in meaning in chemistry and biology.)
Vinyume
synthesis (The formation of more complex substances from simpler ones, the opposite of breakdown.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
protein breakdown
|fat breakdown
|breakdown of ozone
|chemical breakdown
|breakdown of food
Mada
science
|biology
|chemistry
Mifano
- The drug affects the breakdown of fats in the body.
- Ultraviolet light causes the breakdown of ozone in the upper atmosphere.
- The rapid breakdown of organic matter releases nutrients into the soil.
- Enzymes speed up the breakdown of food during digestion.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- Exercise can increase the breakdown of fat.
- The breakdown of food starts in the mouth.
- Heat can cause the breakdown of some chemicals.
- Bacteria help with the breakdown of dead plants.
Nomino
informal
C1
entity
6
rhythmic section in a song
A part of a song where the music changes and the beat or drums become very strong, often for dancing.
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners might confuse this musical sense with mechanical or emotional failure. In music reviews or club talk, "the breakdown" refers to a song section, not a problem.
Visawe
bridge (A different song section; a bridge connects parts of a song, while a breakdown focuses on reducing instruments and stressing rhythm.)
Vinyume
full chorus (A part of a song where all instruments and voices are strong, opposite of the stripped-down feel of a breakdown.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
drum breakdown
|heavy breakdown
|drop into a breakdown
|the breakdown of the track
Mada
music
|entertainment
|arts_entertainment
Mifano
- The DJ extended the breakdown to keep the crowd dancing.
- There’s a great drum breakdown in the middle of this track.
- The song moves from a soft verse into a heavy breakdown.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- The breakdown of this song is my favorite part.
- The DJ played a long breakdown before the final chorus.
- Fans love the heavy breakdown at the end of the track.
Nomino
B2
entity
7
simple explanation of main parts
An easy explanation that shows the main parts or steps of something difficult to understand.
Muundo wa matumizi:
a breakdown of [process/situation]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes think a "breakdown" must include numbers or money. It can also be a simple, clear explanation of steps or main points, even without figures.
Visawe
outline (Often shorter and less detailed; a breakdown usually explains parts more clearly.)
Vinyume
confusing explanation (A way of explaining that does not make something clearer, opposite of a breakdown.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
breakdown of what happened
|breakdown of the process
|breakdown of the steps
|quick breakdown
|basic breakdown
Mada
communication
|education
Mifano
- Here’s a quick breakdown of what happened at the meeting.
- The guide includes a simple breakdown of the visa application process.
- Let me give you a breakdown of the steps before we start.
- The article provides a clear breakdown of the new tax rules.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- The teacher gave a breakdown of the homework rules.
- Can you give me a breakdown of the plan?
- This video is a good breakdown of the story.
- I need a simple breakdown of how this machine works.
Sarufi
Umbo la kamusi
breakdown
IPA
GB/bɹˈeɪkdˌaʊn/
US/bɹˈeɪkdˌaʊn/
Silabi na mkazo
break - down (silabi 2)
Stress on 1st syllable (break)
Maumbo ya neno
Noun
- Base: breakdown
- Plural: breakdowns
Familia ya neno
Semi
breakdown in communication
1/bɹˈeɪkdˌaʊn ˈɪn kəmjˌunɪkˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
failure of communication
A situation where people do not share information well, so they stop understanding each other.
Mifano
- The accident happened because of a breakdown in communication between the pilots and the control tower.
- There has been a serious breakdown in communication between management and staff.
- Most conflicts at work come from a breakdown in communication.
complete breakdown
1/kəmplˈit bɹˈeɪkdˌaʊn/
fixed phrase
total failure or collapse
A situation where something fails totally and does not work at all, like a machine, system, or relationship.
Mifano
- The strike led to a complete breakdown of public transport.
- Their argument caused a complete breakdown in trust.
- There was a complete breakdown of order after the earthquake.
emotional breakdown
1/ɪmˈoʊʃənəl bɹˈeɪkdˌaʊn/
fixed phrase
sudden loss of emotional control
A time when a person suddenly cannot control their feelings and feels very, very upset.
Mifano
- She had an emotional breakdown after the accident.
- The movie shows the main character’s emotional breakdown and recovery.
- He was on the edge of an emotional breakdown by the end of the year.
have a breakdown
1/hˈæv ə bɹˈeɪkdˌaʊn/
fixed phrase
experience a mental breakdown
To suddenly become unable to control your mind or emotions because of strong stress or problems.
Mifano
- He had a breakdown after working eighty-hour weeks for months.
- She nearly had a breakdown during the divorce.
- They were worried he would have a breakdown if the pressure continued.
mental breakdown
1/mˈɛntəl bɹˈeɪkdˌaʊn/
fixed phrase
serious temporary mental failure
A serious problem when someone’s mind cannot cope with stress or illness, so they cannot live normally for a time.
Mifano
- He had a mental breakdown and was hospitalized for several weeks.
- The story follows her slow recovery from a mental breakdown.
- Constant pressure at work pushed him toward a mental breakdown.
on the verge of a breakdown
1/ˈɔn ðə vˈɚd͡ʒ əv ə bɹˈeɪkdˌaʊn/
fixed phrase
almost having a breakdown
Feeling so stressed or upset that you are very close to having a serious mental or emotional breakdown.
Mifano
- By the end of the project, she was on the verge of a breakdown.
- He looked exhausted and on the verge of a breakdown.
- Many workers feel they are on the verge of a breakdown because of constant overtime.
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.
Mifano
- 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.
nervous breakdown
1/nˈɚvəs bɹˈeɪkdˌaʊn/
fixed phrase
severe mental health crisis
A period when someone cannot live normally because of extreme stress or mental illness.
Mifano
- After months of pressure at work, she had a nervous breakdown.
- After his nervous breakdown, he took six months off work.
- He took time off after suffering a nervous breakdown.
- She suffered a nervous breakdown in her twenties but later recovered.
- The doctor warned him he was close to a nervous breakdown.