PHRASAL VERBS
break away (from somebody/something)
1 to escape suddenly from somebody who is holding you or keeping you prisoner
2 to leave a political party, state, etc, especially to form a new one
3 to move away from a crowd or group, especially in a race
break down
1 (of a machine or vehicle) to stop working because of a fault
2 to fail
3 to become very bad
4 to lose control of your feelings and start crying
5 to divide into parts to be analysed
break something down
1 to make something fall down, open, etc. by hitting it hard
2 to destroy something or make it disappear, especially a particular feeling or attitude that somebody has
3 to divide something into parts in order to analyse it or make it easier to do
4 to make a substance separate into parts or change into a different form in a chemical process
break for something : to suddenly run towards something when you are trying to escape
break in : to enter a building by force
break somebody/something in
1 to train somebody/something in something new that they must do
2 to wear something, especially new shoes, until they become comfortable
break in (on something) :to interrupt or disturb something
break into something
1 to enter a building by force; to open a car, etc. by force
2 to begin laughing, singing, etc. suddenly
3 to suddenly start running; to start running faster than before
4 (British English) to use a banknote of high value to buy something that costs less
5 to open and use something that has been kept for an emergency
6 to be successful when you get involved in something
break off
1 to become separated from something as a result of force
2 to stop speaking or stop doing something for a time
break something off
1 to separate something, using force
2 to end something suddenlyBritain threatened to break off diplomatic relations.
break out(of war, fighting or other unpleasant events) to start suddenly
break out (of something) to escape from a place or situation
break out in something : to suddenly become covered in something
break through/break through something
1 to make a way through something using force
2 (of the sun or moon) to appear from behind clouds
break through something :to succeed in dealing with an attitude that somebody has and the difficulties it creates
break up
1 to separate into smaller pieces
2 to come to an end
3 to go away in different directions
4 (especially British English) to begin the holidays when school closes at the end of a term
5 (British English) to become very weak
6 (North American English) to laugh very hard
7 when a person who is talking on a mobile/cell phone breaks up, you can no longer hear them clearly because the signal has been interrupted
break something up
1 to make something separate into smaller pieces; to divide something into smaller parts
2 to end a relationship, a company, etc
3 to make people leave something or stop doing something, especially by using force
break up (with somebody): to end a relationship with somebody
break with something :to end a connection with something