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
a momentary halt in an activity
there was a brief break after the first movement as the doors to the concert hall were opened and the latecomers were allowed in
a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place
in classic fashion, her big break came when, as an understudy, she took over for an ailing star
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Recent Examples of breaks
Verb
In the end, McGinniss’s new team breaks his heart, as all your rooting interests in sports eventually will.—Leander Schaerlaeckens
june 8, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026 Franklin breaks score open with three runs in fourth.—Darren Sabedra, Mercury News, 7 June 2026 So, instead of scrambling to compare quotes or second-guess repair recommendations, homeowners have a more predictable process when something breaks.—Kathy Collins, Fortune, 6 June 2026 Back in markets, Bitcoin is bruised – on pace for its worst week since February amid a record streak of bitcoin ETF outflows as the crypto market breaks from its dominant narratives.—Katie Foley, CNBC, 5 June 2026 My heart breaks a little bit because Adam and I have become really close.—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2026 The tool breaks cases down by age, race and neighborhood, revealing that seniors, Black residents and inland valley communities bear disproportionate heat burdens tied to poverty, outdoor work and lack of cooling.—Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026 The series serves as an origin story for how Norrin Radd (voiced by Paul Essiembre) becomes the herald of Galactus (James Blendick), then breaks free from the clutches of the Devourer of Worlds to surf around the galaxy and help others.—Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 3 June 2026 Now, Stratton breaks his silence to provide a startling first-hand account of the discoveries, encounters, challenges, and behind-the-scenes revelations that profoundly altered his understanding of humanity’s place in the universe and took a disturbing toll on him and his family.—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 3 June 2026
Noun
Add in concerns about heat, commercialization—my son is among those grumbling about water breaks during games, even when temperatures are mild—and the sheer size of the tournament, and there appears to be no shortage of reasons to complain.—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026 The crews are working to create a network of vegetation-free pathways, called fuel breaks, that can slow fires and give firefighters strategic access to wildlands to combat blazes.—Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026 As for the players, FIFA this year has implemented mandatory, three-minute hydration breaks at the midpoint of each half — regardless of temperature conditions.—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026 The governing body of international soccer has introduced a pair of three-minute breaks that will arrive at about the midway point of each 45-minute half.—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 12 June 2026 Rather than being an occasional response to weather conditions, water breaks will now be built into every match as a permanent structural feature.—Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026 During the two three-minute hydration breaks against New Zealand, England’s players placed ice packs around their necks to help regulate their body temperature.—Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 11 June 2026 Madison Heights, Michigan, city employees are working to repair six water main breaks that happened on Friday night, officials said.—Nick Lentz, CBS News, 6 June 2026
The future demands a neutral, interoperable and intelligent global trade infrastructure that reduces friction, expands inclusion and restores trust across borders.
—
Meelan Gupta,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Unplugging protects against power surges and reduces fire hazards.
Qualcomm’s chip can run Linux, along with Arduino software, and can even do computer vision, which deciphers what a camera sees and translates it into software.
—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
7 Oct. 2025
With that base knowledge and his opponent’s game tape, Nolan analyzes wide receiver alignments and deciphers the offense's attack.
—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Sep. 2025
Before ascending, Turull pauses at an enormous seashell — a real one, not made of stone — that serves as a basin for holy water.
—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
Queen Anne's County pauses data center development During the 12-month pause, the county will research and evaluate potential impacts that data centers could have on local infrastructure, land use, utilities and environmental resources.
The question facing the justices is whether that requirement for advance permission violates the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
9 June 2026
The Cook County Chief Judge's office is in charge of the program, but no one from their office spoke at the meeting; and no one from the Cook County Sheriff's office, which executes arrest warrants when someone violates terms of their monitoring, attended the meeting.