Synonyms: jailbreak, prison-breaking, prisonbreak, break, breakout, gaolbreak
Definition: an escape from jail
Usage: the breakout was carefully planned
Definition: the act of escaping physically
Usage: he made his escape from the mental hospital; the canary escaped from its cage; his flight was an indication of his guilt
Synonyms: break, open frame
Definition: any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare
Usage: the break in the eighth frame cost him the match
Similar words: score
Definition: the act of scoring in a game or sport
Usage: the winning score came with less than a minute left to play
Synonyms: break
Definition: a sudden dash
Usage: he made a break for the open door
Synonyms: break, breakage, breaking
Definition: the act of breaking something
Usage: the breakage was unavoidable
Similar words: change of integrity
Definition: the act of changing the unity or wholeness of something
Synonyms: gap, interruption, disruption, break
Definition: an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
Usage: it was presented without commercial breaks; there was a gap in his account
Definition: the act of delaying; inactivity resulting in something being put off until a later time
Synonyms: break, break of serve
Definition: (tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving
Usage: he was up two breaks in the second set
Similar words: score
Definition: the act of scoring in a game or sport
Usage: the winning score came with less than a minute left to play
Synonyms: break
Definition: the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool
Definition: (sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand
Usage: it took two strokes to get out of the bunker; a good shot requires good balance and tempo; he left me an almost impossible shot
Synonyms: recess, respite, time out, break
Definition: a pause from doing something (as work)
Usage: we took a 10-minute break; he took time out to recuperate
Similar words: pause
Definition: temporary inactivity
Synonyms: break
Definition: an abrupt change in the tone or register of the voice (as at puberty or due to emotion)
Usage: then there was a break in her voice
Similar words: change, modification, alteration
Definition: an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
Usage: the change was intended to increase sales; this storm is certainly a change for the worse; the neighborhood had undergone few modifications since his last visit years ago
Synonyms: breach, break, rift, severance, rupture, falling out
Definition: a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)
Usage: they hoped to avoid a break in relations
Similar words: detachment, separation, breakup
Definition: coming apart
Synonyms: break, happy chance, good luck
Definition: an unexpected piece of good luck
Usage: he finally got his big break
Similar words: accident, chance event, stroke, fortuity
Definition: anything that happens suddenly or by chance without an apparent cause
Usage: winning the lottery was a happy accident; the pregnancy was a stroke of bad luck; it was due to an accident or fortuity
Synonyms: break
Definition: the occurrence of breaking
Usage: the break in the dam threatened the valley
Similar words: detachment, separation, breakup
Definition: coming apart
Synonyms: break, interruption
Definition: some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity
Usage: the telephone is an annoying interruption; there was a break in the action when a player was hurt
Similar words: natural event, occurrence, occurrent, happening
Definition: an event that happens
Synonyms: fault, faulting, fracture, geological fault, break, shift
Definition: (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other
Usage: they built it right over a geological fault; he studied the faulting of the earth's crust
Definition: breaking of hard tissue such as bone
Usage: it was a nasty fracture; the break seems to have been caused by a fall
Similar words: trauma, hurt, injury, harm
Definition: any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
Synonyms: pause, break, intermission, interruption, suspension
Definition: a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
Similar words: time interval, interval
Definition: a definite length of time marked off by two instants
Synonyms: break
Definition: weaken or destroy in spirit or body
Usage: His resistance was broken; a man broken by the terrible experience of near-death
Synonyms: break
Definition: diminish or discontinue abruptly
Usage: The patient's fever broke last night
Similar words: fall, lessen, diminish, decrease
Definition: decrease in size, extent, or range
Usage: The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester; The cabin pressure fell dramatically; her weight fell to under a hundred pounds; his voice fell to a whisper
Definition: fracture a bone of
Usage: I broke my foot while playing hockey
Synonyms: break
Definition: fall sharply
Usage: stock prices broke
Similar words: fall, lessen, diminish, decrease
Definition: decrease in size, extent, or range
Usage: The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester; The cabin pressure fell dramatically; her weight fell to under a hundred pounds; his voice fell to a whisper
Definition: make submissive, obedient, or useful
Usage: The horse was tough to break; I broke in the new intern
Similar words: domesticate, domesticise, domesticize, tame, reclaim
Definition: overcome the wildness of; make docile and tractable
Usage: He tames lions for the circus; reclaim falcons
Synonyms: break
Definition: be broken in
Usage: If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress
Similar words: change
Definition: undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
Usage: She changed completely as she grew older; The weather changed last night
Synonyms: break
Definition: crack; of the male voice in puberty
Usage: his voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir
Similar words: turn, change state
Definition: undergo a transformation or a change of position or action
Usage: We turned from Socialism to Capitalism; The people turned against the President when he stole the election
Synonyms: break
Definition: render inoperable or ineffective
Usage: You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!
Similar words: damage
Definition: inflict damage upon
Usage: The snow damaged the roof; She damaged the car when she hit the tree
Synonyms: separate, split up, come apart, break, fall apart
Definition: become separated into pieces or fragments
Usage: The figurine broke; The freshly baked loaf fell apart
Similar words: change integrity
Definition: change in physical make-up
Synonyms: break
Definition: destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments
Usage: He broke the glass plate; She broke the match
Definition: become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
Usage: The glass cracked when it was heated
Similar words: change
Definition: undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
Usage: She changed completely as she grew older; The weather changed last night
Synonyms: break, develop, recrudesce
Definition: happen
Usage: Report the news as it develops; These political movements recrudesce from time to time
Similar words: come about, take place, go on, hap, happen, fall out, pass, pass off, occur
Definition: come to pass
Usage: What is happening?; The meeting took place off without an incidence; Nothing occurred that seemed important
Synonyms: break, break off, stop, discontinue
Definition: prevent completion
Usage: stop the project; break off the negotiations
Definition: bring to an end or halt
Usage: She ended their friendship when she found out that he had once been convicted of a crime; The attack on Poland terminated the relatively peaceful period after WW I
Definition: terminate
Usage: She interrupted her pregnancy; break a lucky streak; break the cycle of poverty
Definition: bring to an end or halt
Usage: She ended their friendship when she found out that he had once been convicted of a crime; The attack on Poland terminated the relatively peaceful period after WW I
Synonyms: weaken, break, soften, damp, dampen
Definition: lessen in force or effect
Usage: soften a shock; break a fall
Definition: make less lively, intense, or vigorous; impair in vigor, force, activity, or sensation
Usage: Terror blunted her feelings; deaden a sound
Synonyms: break, break down, die, conk out, go, go bad, give out, give way, fail
Definition: stop operating or functioning
Usage: The engine finally went; The car died on the road; The bus we travelled in broke down on the way to town; The coffee maker broke; The engine failed on the way to town; her eyesight went after the accident
Similar words: change
Definition: undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
Usage: She changed completely as she grew older; The weather changed last night
Synonyms: break
Definition: change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another
Usage: Her voice broke to a whisper when she started to talk about her children
Similar words: switch, change, shift
Definition: lay aside, abandon, or leave for another
Usage: switch to a different brand of beer; She switched psychiatrists; The car changed lanes
Synonyms: break
Definition: come into being
Usage: light broke over the horizon; Voices broke in the air
Similar words: become, go, get
Definition: enter or assume a certain state or condition
Usage: He became annoyed when he heard the bad news; It must be getting more serious; her face went red with anger; She went into ecstasy; Get going!
Synonyms: break
Definition: find the solution or key to
Usage: break the code
Similar words: puzzle out, figure out, lick, work, work out, solve
Definition: find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of
Usage: did you solve the problem?; Work out your problems with the boss; this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out; did you get it?; Did you get my meaning?; He could not work the math problem
Synonyms: break
Definition: find a flaw in
Usage: break an alibi; break down a proof
Definition: destroy completely; damage irreparably
Usage: You have ruined my car by pouring sugar in the tank!; The tears ruined her make-up
Synonyms: break
Definition: undergo breaking
Usage: The simple vowels broke in many Germanic languages
Similar words: diphthongise, diphthongize
Definition: change from a simple vowel to a diphthong
Usage: This vowel diphthongized in Germanic
Synonyms: break
Definition: interrupt the flow of current in
Usage: break a circuit
Similar words: interrupt, break up, disrupt, cut off
Definition: make a break in
Usage: We interrupt the program for the following messages
Synonyms: break, pause, intermit
Definition: cease an action temporarily
Usage: We pause for station identification; let's break for lunch
Similar words: interrupt, break up, disrupt, cut off
Definition: make a break in
Usage: We interrupt the program for the following messages
Synonyms: unwrap, expose, give away, reveal, let on, let out, break, bring out, disclose, discover, divulge
Definition: make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
Usage: The auction house would not disclose the price at which the van Gogh had sold; The actress won't reveal how old she is; bring out the truth; he broke the news to her; unwrap the evidence in the murder case
Definition: surpass in excellence
Usage: She bettered her own record; break a record
Similar words: outdo, outgo, outmatch, outperform, outstrip, exceed, surmount, surpass
Definition: be or do something to a greater degree
Usage: her performance surpasses that of any other student I know; She outdoes all other athletes; This exceeds all my expectations; This car outperforms all others in its class
Synonyms: break
Definition: pierce or penetrate
Usage: The blade broke her skin
Similar words: penetrate, perforate
Definition: pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance
Usage: The bullet penetrated her chest
Synonyms: snap off, break, break off
Definition: break a piece from a whole
Usage: break a branch from a tree
Similar words: detach
Definition: cause to become detached or separated; take off
Usage: detach the skin from the chicken before you eat it
Synonyms: fall apart, bust, break, wear, wear out
Definition: go to pieces
Usage: The lawn mower finally broke; The gears wore out; The old chair finally fell apart completely
Similar words: dilapidate, crumble, decay
Definition: fall into decay or ruin
Usage: The unoccupied house started to decay
Definition: ruin completely
Usage: He busted my radio!
Definition: destroy completely; damage irreparably
Usage: You have ruined my car by pouring sugar in the tank!; The tears ruined her make-up
Synonyms: break
Definition: separate from a clinch, in boxing
Usage: The referee broke the boxers
Similar words: disunite, divide, part, separate
Definition: force, take, or pull apart
Usage: He separated the fighting children; Moses parted the Red Sea
Synonyms: break
Definition: make the opening shot that scatters the balls
Similar words: shoot
Definition: throw or propel in a specific direction or towards a specific objective
Usage: shoot craps; shoot a golf ball
Definition: destroy the completeness of a set of related items
Usage: The book dealer would not break the set
Similar words: alter, change, modify
Definition: cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
Usage: The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city; The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue
Synonyms: break
Definition: exchange for smaller units of money
Usage: I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy
Similar words: convert, exchange, commute, change
Definition: exchange or replace with another, usually of the same kind or category
Usage: Could you convert my dollars into pounds?; He changed his name; convert centimeters into inches; convert holdings into shares
Definition: force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up
Usage: break into tears; erupt in anger
Similar words: express emotion, express feelings
Definition: give verbal or other expression to one's feelings
Synonyms: break, break dance, break-dance
Definition: do a break dance
Usage: Kids were break-dancing at the street corner
Similar words: trip the light fantastic, trip the light fantastic toe, dance
Definition: move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or perform a dance
Usage: My husband and I like to dance at home to the radio
Synonyms: break
Definition: curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves
Usage: The surf broke
Similar words: founder, fall in, break, cave in, collapse, give, give way
Definition: break down, literally or metaphorically
Usage: The wall collapsed; The business collapsed; The dam broke; The roof collapsed; The wall gave in; The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice
Synonyms: founder, fall in, break, cave in, collapse, give, give way
Definition: break down, literally or metaphorically
Usage: The wall collapsed; The business collapsed; The dam broke; The roof collapsed; The wall gave in; The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice
Similar words: change
Definition: undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
Usage: She changed completely as she grew older; The weather changed last night
Synonyms: break
Definition: emerge from the surface of a body of water
Usage: The whales broke
Similar words: appear
Definition: come into sight or view
Usage: He suddenly appeared at the wedding; A new star appeared on the horizon
Synonyms: break
Definition: scatter or part
Usage: The clouds broke after the heavy downpour
Similar words: disperse, dissipate, scatter, spread out
Definition: move away from each other
Usage: The crowds dispersed; The children scattered in all directions when the teacher approached;
Synonyms: break
Definition: make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing
Usage: The ranks broke
Similar words: take flight, fly, flee
Definition: run away quickly
Usage: He threw down his gun and fled
Synonyms: break, break away, break out
Definition: move away or escape suddenly
Usage: The horses broke from the stable; Three inmates broke jail; Nobody can break out--this prison is high security
Similar words: escape, break loose, get away
Definition: run away from confinement
Usage: The convicted murderer escaped from a high security prison
Synonyms: break
Definition: change directions suddenly
Similar words: switch, change, shift
Definition: lay aside, abandon, or leave for another
Usage: switch to a different brand of beer; She switched psychiatrists; The car changed lanes
Synonyms: bankrupt, break, smash, ruin
Definition: reduce to bankruptcy
Usage: My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!; The slump in the financial markets smashed him
Similar words: impoverish
Definition: make poor
Synonyms: demote, kick downstairs, relegate, break, bump
Definition: assign to a lower position; reduce in rank
Usage: She was demoted because she always speaks up; He was broken down to Sergeant
Similar words: delegate, depute, designate, assign
Definition: give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person)
Synonyms: break
Definition: invalidate by judicial action
Usage: The will was broken
Similar words: void, avoid, annul, invalidate, nullify, quash
Definition: declare invalid
Usage: The contract was annulled; void a plea
Synonyms: break, break away
Definition: interrupt a continued activity
Usage: She had broken with the traditional patterns
Similar words: part, separate, split, split up, break, break up
Definition: discontinue an association or relation; go different ways
Usage: The business partners broke over a tax question; The couple separated after 25 years of marriage; My friend and I split up
Synonyms: break
Definition: cause the failure or ruin of
Usage: His peccadilloes finally broke his marriage; This play will either make or break the playwright
Similar words: ruin
Definition: destroy or cause to fail
Usage: This behavior will ruin your chances of winning the election
Synonyms: go against, infract, offend, breach, break, transgress, violate
Definition: act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises
Usage: offend all laws of humanity; violate the basic laws or human civilization; break a law; break a promise
Similar words: disrespect
Definition: show a lack of respect for
Definition: enter someone's (virtual or real) property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act
Usage: Someone broke in while I was on vacation; They broke into my car and stole my radio!; who broke into my account last night?
Similar words: trespass, intrude
Definition: enter unlawfully on someone's property
Usage: Don't trespass on my land!
Synonyms: break
Definition: happen or take place
Usage: Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months
Similar words: come about, take place, go on, hap, happen, fall out, pass, pass off, occur
Definition: come to pass
Usage: What is happening?; The meeting took place off without an incidence; Nothing occurred that seemed important
Synonyms: break
Definition: come forth or begin from a state of latency
Usage: The first winter storm broke over New York
Similar words: come forth, emerge
Definition: happen or occur as a result of something
Synonyms: break
Definition: give up
Usage: break cigarette smoking
Similar words: cease, quit, give up, stop, discontinue, lay off
Definition: put an end to a state or an activity
Usage: Quit teasing your little brother
Synonyms: break
Definition: vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity
Usage: The flat plain was broken by tall mesas
Similar words: vary, change, alter
Definition: become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence
Usage: her mood changes in accordance with the weather; The supermarket's selection of vegetables varies according to the season
Synonyms: break
Definition: come to an end
Usage: The heat wave finally broke yesterday
Similar words: cease, stop, terminate, finish, end
Definition: have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical
Usage: the bronchioles terminate in a capillary bed; Your rights stop where you infringe upon the rights of other; My property ends by the bushes; The symphony ends in a pianissimo