present participle of break
1
as in disrupting
to cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly
hated telling her that I had broken her favorite glass vase
2
as in stopping
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
the final vote broke the deadlock
3
as in reducing
to bring to a lower grade or rank
the captain was broken to lieutenant commander for disobeying a direct order from his group commander
4
as in deciphering
to change (as a secret message) from code into ordinary language
Alan Turing and the Bletchley Park mathematicians broke the Enigma code being used by the Nazis
5
as in pausing
to come to a temporary halt in one's activity
she broke from her ruminations to find that it was already dinnertime
6
as in plowing
to cut into and turn over the sod of (a piece of land) using a bladed implement
farmers once broke fields with horse-drawn plows
7
as in violating
to fail to keep
had to confess that he had broken his promise not to share their conversation with anyone
8
as in solving
to find an answer for through reasoning
Professor Bates broke the problem when she realized that it was possible to synthesize the necessary compounds
9
as in damaging
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
I broke a tooth on the hard candy
10
as in dying
to stop functioning
after working for 30 years, the pump simply broke one day
11
as in retreating
to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening
the herd of gazelles broke when they saw the lions racing toward them from the ridge above
12
as in wearing
to use up all the physical energy of
the trek up the mountain just about broke me
13
as in spreading
to become known
as soon as the scandal broke, the CEO fled the country
14
as in bankrupting
to cause to lose one's fortune and become unable to pay one's debts
another bad investment could break him
15
as in originating
to come into existence
the crisis had passed, and a new day was breaking
16
as in veering
to depart abruptly from a straight line or course
the running back broke to his left before running out of bounds
17
as in lowering
to diminish the price or value of
distressing economic news that will break many energy stocks
18
as in exceeding
to go beyond the limit of
a menu with prices that is likely to break the budgets of all but the wealthiest of diners
19
as in surfacing
to penetrate the surface (as of water) from below
dolphins were breaking all around the boat
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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