break
Noun
- Some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activitySynonyms: interruptionhyponym:
- abatement, hiatus, reprieve, respite, suspension - an interruption in the intensity or amount of something
- dislocation, disruption - an event that results in a displacement or discontinuity
- eclipse, occultation - one celestial body obscures another
- punctuation - something that makes repeated and regular interruptions or divisions
hypernym: happening, natural event, occurrence, occurrent - an event that happens - An unexpected piece of good luckSynonyms: good luck, happy chancehypernym: accident, chance event, fortuity, stroke - anything that happens suddenly or by chance without an apparent cause
- (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the otherSynonyms: fault, faulting, fracture, geological fault, shifthypernym: cleft, crack, crevice, fissure, scissure - a long narrow openinginstance hyponym:
- denali fault - a major open geological fault in Alaska
- san andreas fault - a major geological fault in California; runs from San Diego to San Francisco; the source of serious earthquakes
part holonym: fault line - (geology) line determined by the intersection of a geological fault and the earth's surfacedomain category: geology - a science that deals with the history of the earth as recorded in rockshyponym:- inclined fault - a geological fault in which one side is above the other
- strike-slip fault - a geological fault in which one of the adjacent surfaces appears to have moved horizontally
- A personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)Synonyms: breach, falling out, rift, rupture, severancehypernym: breakup, detachment, separation - coming aparthyponym: schism - the formal separation of a church into two churches or the withdrawal of one group over doctrinal differences
- A pause from doing something (as work)Synonyms: recess, respite, time outhypernym: pause - temporary inactivityhyponym: spring break - a week or more of recess during the spring term at school
- The act of breaking somethingSynonyms: breakage, breakinghypernym: change of integrity - the act of changing the unity or wholeness of somethinghyponym:
- chip, chipping, splintering - the act of chipping something
- crack, cracking, fracture - the act of cracking something
- rupture - the act of making a sudden noisy break
- shattering, smashing - the act of breaking something into small pieces
- A time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of somethingSynonyms: intermission, interruption, pause, suspensionhyponym:
- blackout - a suspension of radio or tv broadcasting
- caesura - a pause or interruption (as in a conversation)
- dead air - an inadvertent interruption in a broadcast during which there is no sound
- delay, hold, postponement, time lag, wait - time during which some action is awaited
- halftime - an intermission between the first and second half of a game
- lapse - a break or intermission in the occurrence of something
- letup, lull - a pause during which things are calm or activities are diminished
- relief, respite, rest, rest period - a pause for relaxation
- time-out - a brief suspension of play
hypernym: interval, time interval - a definite length of time marked off by two instants - Breaking of hard tissue such as boneSynonyms: fracturehyponym:
- capillary fracture, hairline fracture - a fracture without separation of the fragments and the line of the break being very thin
- closed fracture, simple fracture - an uncomplicated fracture in which the broken bones to not pierce the skin
- comminuted fracture - fracture in which the bone is splintered or crushed
- complete fracture - break involving the entire width of the bone
- compound fracture, open fracture - bone fracture associated with lacerated soft tissue or an open wound
- compression fracture - fracture in which the bone collapses (especially in short bones such as vertebrae)
- depressed fracture - fracture of the skull where the bone is pushed in
- displaced fracture - fracture in which the two ends of the broken bone are separated from one another
- fatigue fracture, stress fracture - fracture resulting from excessive activity rather than a specific injury
- impacted fracture - fracture in which one broken end is wedged into the other broken end
- incomplete fracture - fracture that does not go across the entire width of the bone
hypernym: harm, hurt, injury, trauma - any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc. - The occurrence of breakinghypernym: breakup, detachment, separation - coming aparthyponym: snap - a sudden breaking
- An abrupt change in the tone or register of the voice (as at puberty or due to emotion)hypernym: alteration, change, modification - an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
- The opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or poolpart meronym:
- billiards - any of several games played on rectangular cloth-covered table (with cushioned edges) in which long tapering cue sticks are used to propel ivory (or composition) balls
- pocket billiards, pool - any of various games played on a pool table having 6 pockets
hypernym: shot, stroke - (sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand - (tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was servingSynonyms: break of servedomain category: lawn tennis, tennis - a game played with rackets by two or four players who hit a ball back and forth over a net that divides the courthypernym: score - the act of scoring in a game or sport
- An act of delaying or interrupting the continuitySynonyms: disruption, gap, interruptionhyponym:
- abruption, breaking off - an instance of sudden interruption
- barracking, heckling - shouting to interrupt a speech with which you disagree
- cut-in, insert - (film) a still picture that is introduced and that interrupts the action of a film
- cut-in, insert - (broadcasting) a local announcement inserted into a network program
- interjection, interpellation, interpolation, interposition - the action of interjecting or interposing an action or remark that interrupts
hypernym: delay, holdup - the act of delaying; inactivity resulting in something being put off until a later time - A sudden dashhypernym: dash, sprint - a quick runhyponym: fast break - (basketball) a rapid dash to get a shot as soon as possible after taking possession of the ball
- Any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spareSynonyms: open framehypernym: score - the act of scoring in a game or sport
- An escape from jailSynonyms: breakout, gaolbreak, jailbreak, prison-breaking, prisonbreakhypernym: escape, flight - the act of escaping physically
Verb
- TerminateSynonyms: interrupthyponym:
- break off, break short, cut short - interrupt before its natural or planned end
- freeze, suspend - stop a process or a habit by imposing a freeze on it
- hold on, stop - stop and wait, as if awaiting further instructions or developments
hypernym: end, terminate - bring to an end or halt - Become separated into pieces or fragmentsSynonyms: come apart, fall apart, separate, split upverb group: break - destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragmentshyponym:
- break open, burst, split - come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
- break up, fragment, fragmentise, fragmentize - break or cause to break into pieces
- burst, bust - break open or apart suddenly and forcefully
- crack, snap - break suddenly and abruptly, as under tension
- crush - become injured, broken, or distorted by pressure
- ladder, run - come unraveled or undone as if by snagging
- puncture - be pierced or punctured
- smash - break suddenly into pieces, as from a violent blow
hypernym: change integrity - change in physical make-up - Render inoperable or ineffectiveverb group: break, break down, conk out, die, fail, give out, give way, go, go bad - stop operating or functioninghypernym: damage - inflict damage upon
- Ruin completelySynonyms: bustcause: break, bust, fall apart, wear, wear out - go to piecesverb group: break, bust, fall apart, wear, wear out - go to pieceshyponym: break down - cause to fall or collapsehypernym: destroy, ruin - destroy completely; damage irreparably
- Destroy the integrity of
Usually by force
Cause to separate into pieces or fragmentsverb group: break, come apart, fall apart, separate, split up - become separated into pieces or fragmentshyponym:- break in - break so as to fall inward
- dash, smash - break into pieces, as by striking or knocking over
- fracture - break into pieces
- shatter - cause to break into many pieces
hypernym: divide, separate - make a division or separation - Act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promisesSynonyms: breach, go against, infract, offend, transgress, violatehyponym:
- blunder, boob, drop the ball, goof, sin - commit a faux pas or a fault or make a serious mistake
- conflict, contravene, infringe, run afoul - go against, as of rules and laws
- intrude, trespass - enter unlawfully on someone's property
- sin, transgress, trespass - commit a sin; violate a law of God or a moral law
- trespass - break the law
hypernym: disrespect - show a lack of respect for - Move away or escape suddenlySynonyms: break away, break outverb group: break - make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeinghypernym: break loose, escape, get away - run away from confinement
- Scatter or parthypernym: disperse, dissipate, scatter, spread out - move away from each other
- Force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent upSynonyms: burst, erupthypernym: express emotion, express feelings - give verbal or other expression to one's feelings
- Prevent completionSynonyms: break off, discontinue, stophyponym:
- bog, bog down - get stuck while doing something
- break up, cut off, disrupt, interrupt - make a break in
- fracture - become fractured
hypernym: end, terminate - bring to an end or halt - Enter someone's (virtual or real) property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent actSynonyms: break inhyponym: crack - gain unauthorized access computers with malicious intentionshypernym: intrude, trespass - enter unlawfully on someone's property
- Make submissive, obedient, or usefulSynonyms: break incause: break - be broken inverb group: break - be broken inhypernym: domesticate, domesticise, domesticize, reclaim, tame - overcome the wildness of; make docile and tractable
- Fail to agree with
Be in violation of
As of rules or patternsSynonyms: go against, violatehyponym: fly in the face of, fly in the teeth of - go against - Surpass in excellenceSynonyms: betterhypernym: exceed, outdo, outgo, outmatch, outperform, outstrip, surmount, surpass - be or do something to a greater degree
- Make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secretSynonyms: bring out, disclose, discover, divulge, expose, give away, let on, let out, reveal, unwraphyponym:
- babble, babble out, blab, blab out, let the cat out of the bag, peach, sing, spill the beans, talk, tattle - divulge confidential information or secrets
- betray, bewray - reveal unintentionally
- blackwash - bring (information) out of concealment
- blow - cause to be revealed and jeopardized
- come out, come out of the closet, out - to state openly and publicly one's homosexuality
- confide - reveal in private; tell confidentially
- leak - tell anonymously
- muckrake - explore and expose misconduct and scandals concerning public figures
- out - reveal (something) about somebody's identity or lifestyle
- reveal - disclose directly or through prophets
- spring - produce or disclose suddenly or unexpectedly
cause: break, get around, get out - be released or become known; of newsverb group: break, get around, get out - be released or become known; of newshypernym: tell - let something be known - Come into beinghypernym: become, get, go - enter or assume a certain state or condition
- Stop operating or functioningSynonyms: break down, conk out, die, fail, give out, give way, go, go badhyponym:
- blow, blow out, burn out - melt, break, or become otherwise unusable
- crash, go down - stop operating
- malfunction, misfunction - fail to function or function improperly
- misfire - fail to fire or detonate
verb group:- break - render inoperable or ineffective
- buy the farm, cash in one's chips, choke, conk, croak, decease, die, drop dead, exit, expire, give-up the ghost, go, kick the bucket, pass, pass away, perish, pop off, snuff it - pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
hypernym: change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature - Interrupt a continued activitySynonyms: break awayhypernym: break, break up, part, separate, split, split up - discontinue an association or relation; go different ways
- Make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeingdomain category: armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nationverb group: break, break away, break out - move away or escape suddenlyhypernym: flee, fly, take flight - run away quickly
- Curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waveshypernym: break, cave in, collapse, fall in, founder, give, give way - break down, literally or metaphorically
- Lessen in force or effectSynonyms: damp, dampen, soften, weakenhypernym: blunt, deaden - make less lively, intense, or vigorous; impair in vigor, force, activity, or sensationhyponym:
- damp, dampen, deaden - make vague or obscure or make (an image) less visible
- deafen - make soundproof
- Be broken inverb group: break, break in - make submissive, obedient, or usefulhypernym: change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
- Come to an endhypernym: cease, end, finish, stop, terminate - have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical
- Vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuityhypernym: alter, change, vary - become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence
- Cause to give up a habitcause: break - give upverb group: break - give up
- Give upverb group: break - cause to give up a habithypernym: cease, discontinue, give up, lay off, quit, stop - put an end to a state or an activity
- Come forth or begin from a state of latencyhypernym: come forth, emerge - happen or occur as a result of something
- Happen or take placedomain usage: colloquialism - a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speechhypernym: come about, fall out, go on, hap, happen, occur, pass, pass off, take place - come to pass
- Cause the failure or ruin ofhypernym: ruin - destroy or cause to fail
- Invalidate by judicial actionhypernym: annul, avoid, invalidate, nullify, quash, void - declare invalid
- Discontinue an association or relation
Go different waysSynonyms: break up, part, separate, split, split uphyponym:- break, break away - interrupt a continued activity
- break apart, disunify - break up or separate
- break away, secede, splinter - withdraw from an organization or communion
- break with - end a relationship
- disassociate, disjoint, dissociate, disunite, divorce - part; cease or break association with
- divorce, split up - get a divorce; formally terminate a marriage
- give the axe, give the bounce, give the gate - terminate a relationship abruptly
- Assign to a lower position
Reduce in rankSynonyms: bump, demote, kick downstairs, relegatehypernym: assign, delegate, depute, designate - give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person)hyponym:- reduce - bring to humbler or weaker state or condition
- sideline - remove from the center of activity or attention; place into an inferior position
- Reduce to bankruptcySynonyms: bankrupt, ruin, smashhypernym: impoverish - make poor
- Change directions suddenlyhypernym: change, shift, switch - lay aside, abandon, or leave for another
- Emerge from the surface of a body of waterhypernym: appear - come into sight or view
- Break down, literally or metaphoricallySynonyms: cave in, collapse, fall in, founder, give, give wayverb group:
- abandon, give up - stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas or claims
- burst, collapse - cause to burst
hyponym:- break - curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves
- buckle, crumple - fold or collapse
- flop - fall loosely
- go off, implode - burst inward
- sink, slide down, slump - fall or sink heavily
hypernym: change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature - Do a break danceSynonyms: break dance, break-dancehypernym: dance, trip the light fantastic, trip the light fantastic toe - move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or perform a dance
- Exchange for smaller units of moneyverb group: break, break up - destroy the completeness of a set of related itemshypernym: change, commute, convert, exchange - exchange or replace with another, usually of the same kind or category
- Destroy the completeness of a set of related itemsSynonyms: break uphypernym: alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformationverb group: break - exchange for smaller units of money
- Make the opening shot that scatters the ballsdomain category: billiards - any of several games played on rectangular cloth-covered table (with cushioned edges) in which long tapering cue sticks are used to propel ivory (or composition) ballshypernym: shoot - throw or propel in a specific direction or towards a specific objective
- Separate from a clinch, in boxinghypernym: disunite, divide, part, separate - force, take, or pull apart
- Go to piecesSynonyms: bust, fall apart, wear, wear outverb group: break, bust - ruin completelyhypernym: crumble, decay, dilapidate - fall into decay or ruinhyponym: fray, frazzle - wear away by rubbing
- Break a piece from a wholeSynonyms: break off, snap offhypernym: detach - cause to become detached or separated; take off
- Become punctured or penetratedverb group: break - pierce or penetrate
- Pierce or penetrateverb group: break - become punctured or penetratedhypernym: penetrate, perforate - pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance
- Be released or become known
Of newsSynonyms: get around, get outverb group: break, bring out, disclose, discover, divulge, expose, give away, let on, let out, reveal, unwrap - make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secrethyponym: leak, leak out - be leaked - Cease an action temporarilySynonyms: intermit, pausehypernym: break up, cut off, disrupt, interrupt - make a break inhyponym:
- breathe, catch one's breath, rest, take a breather - take a short break from one's activities in order to relax
- take five - take a break for five minutes
- take ten - take a ten minute break
- Interrupt the flow of current inhypernym: break up, cut off, disrupt, interrupt - make a break in
- Undergo breakinghypernym: diphthongise, diphthongize - change from a simple vowel to a diphthong
- Find a flaw inverb group: break - find the solution or key tohypernym: destroy, ruin - destroy completely; damage irreparably
- Find the solution or key toverb group: break - find a flaw inhypernym: figure out, lick, puzzle out, solve, work, work out - find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of
- Change suddenly from one tone quality or register to anotherhypernym: change, shift, switch - lay aside, abandon, or leave for another
- HappenSynonyms: develop, recrudescehypernym: come about, fall out, go on, hap, happen, occur, pass, pass off, take place - come to passverb group: develop - be gradually disclosed or unfolded; become manifest
- Become fractured
Break or crack on the surface onlySynonyms: check, crackhypernym: change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original natureverb group:- check, chink - make cracks or chinks in
- crack - cause to become cracked
hyponym: crack - break partially but keep its integrity - Crack
Of the male voice in pubertyhypernym: change state, turn - undergo a transformation or a change of position or action - Fall sharplyhypernym: decrease, diminish, fall, lessen - decrease in size, extent, or range
- Fracture a bone ofSynonyms: fractureverb group: fracture - break (a bone)hypernym: injure, wound - cause injuries or bodily harm to
- Diminish or discontinue abruptlyhypernym: decrease, diminish, fall, lessen - decrease in size, extent, or range
- Weaken or destroy in spirit or bodyhypernym: weaken - lessen the strength of