- separate or cause to separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain打破, 打碎：
no obj. the slate fell from my hand and broke in two on the hard floor那块石板瓦从我手里滑到硬地板上摔成了两半
with obj. windows in the street were broken by the blast.大风把临街的窗户都刮坏了。
- with obj.(of a person or animal) sustain an injury involving the fracture of a bone or bones in (a part of the body)（人或动物）骨折：
she had broken her leg in two places.
她的腿有两处骨折。
- no obj.(of a part of the body or a bone) sustain a fracture（指身体的某个部分或骨头）骨折：
what if his leg had broken?
假如他的腿骨折了怎么办？
- with obj. cause a cut or graze in (the skin)割破, 擦破（皮肤）：
the bite had scarcely broken the skin.
被咬的地方连皮都没弄破。
- make or become inoperative（使）失效; （使）失灵：
no obj. the machine has broken and they can't fix it until next week机器坏了, 他们下星期才能修好
with obj. he's broken the video.他把录像机搞坏了。
- (of the amniotic fluid surrounding a fetus) be or cause to be discharged when the sac is ruptured in the first stages of labour（孕妇的羊水）（使）破裂：
no obj. she realized her waters had broken.她意识到她的羊水破了。
- with obj. open (a safe) forcibly强行打开, 砸开（保险箱）。
- with obj. use (a banknote) to pay for something and receive change out of the transaction兑开（纸币）：
she had to break a tenner.
她不得不兑开一张十元的纸币。
- no obj.(of two boxers or wrestlers) come out of a clinch, especially at the referee's command（尤指拳击手或摔跤手在裁判下令后）分开, 抱持后拆散。
- make the first stroke at the beginning of a game of billiards, pool, or snooker开球破局（打台球、撞球或斯诺克时第一杆把聚在一起的球打散）。
- with obj. unfurl (a flag or sail)展开（旗帜或船帆）。
- with obj. succeed in deciphering (a code)破译（密码）。
- with obj. disprove (an alibi)证明（不在犯罪现场的辩护）不实。
- with obj. interrupt (a continuity, sequence, or course)打断（连续性、次序和过程）：
the new government broke the pattern of growth
新政府打破了这种增长模式
his concentration was broken by a sound.
响声打断了他的专心致志。
- put an end to (a silence) by speaking or making contact打破（沉默）。
- make a pause in (a journey)（旅行时）停顿, 停留。
- no obj. stop proceedings in order to have a pause or vacation中止（会议议程以短暂休息或度假）：
at mid-morning they broke for coffee.
早上十点钟左右他们停下来喝咖啡。
- lessen the impact of (a fall)减轻（落体的）冲击力度。
- disconnect or interrupt (an electric circuit)切断（电路）。
- stop oneself being subject to (a habit)（使）放弃（习惯）：
try to break the habit of adding salt at the table.
试图改掉在进餐时加盐的习惯。
- no obj., with adverbial(chiefly of attacking player or team, or of military force) make a rush or dash in a particular direction（体育比赛或军队作战时攻方）出击, 猛冲：
Mitchell won possession and broke quickly, allowing Hughes to score.
米切尔取得控球权后快速出击, 让休斯得分。
- surpass (a record)打破（纪录）：
the film broke box office records in the US.
这部电影打破了全美的票房纪录。
- no obj., with adverbial of direction(of a bowled cricket ball) change direction of bouncing, due to spin（板球）突然转向。
- no obj., with adverbial of direction Soccer (of the ball) rebound unpredictably【英足】（球）突然弹开：
the ball broke to Craig but his shot rebounded from the post.
球弹向克雷格, 但他射门时, 球又踢到门柱上弹开了。
- with obj. fail to observe (a law, regulation, or agreement)违反; 不执行（法律、规则或协定）：
the council says it will prosecute traders who break the law
该委员会称它将告发违法商人
a legally binding contract which can only be broken by mutual consent.
一个具有法律约束力、需双方同意才能取消的合同。
- fail to continue with (a self-imposed discipline)中断（自我约束）：
diets started without preparation are broken all the time.
在没有准备的情况之下开始的节食计划往往不能坚持。
- with obj. crush the emotional strength, spirit, or resistance of压垮（感情力量, 精神, 反抗）：
the idea was to better the prisoners, not to break them.
这个主意目的在于改造这些囚犯, 而不是压垮他们。
- no obj.(of a person's emotional strength or control) give way（人的精神力量或自控能力）垮掉：
her self-control finally broke.
她终于失去了自制力。
- destroy the power of (a movement or organization)摧毁。
- destroy the effectiveness of (a strike), typically by moving in other people to replace the striking workers破坏（罢工的）效果（尤指通过调入新人员取代罢工工人）。
- no obj. undergo a change or enter a new state, in particular变化; 进入新状态, 尤指：
- (of the weather) change suddenly, especially after a fine spell（一段时间的晴天后天气）突变：
the weather broke and thunder rumbled through a leaden sky.
天气骤变, 隆隆雷声响彻乌云密布的天空。
- (of a storm) begin violently（暴风雨）爆发。
- (of dawn or a day) begin as the sun rises（天）破晓; （晨曦）初露：
dawn was just breaking.
天刚破晓。
- (of clouds) move apart and begin to disperse（云）散开。
- (of waves) curl over and dissolve into foam（波浪）卷碎, 破碎（成泡沫）：
the Caribbean sea breaking gently on the shore.
加勒比海浪花飞溅, 轻轻拍打着海岸。
- (of a person's voice) falter and change tone, due to emotion（人的声音由于感情激动而）颤抖：
her voice broke as she relived the experience.
回想起那段经历, 她的声音都颤抖了。
- (of a boy's voice) change in tone and register at puberty（男孩嗓音）青春期变粗。
- Phonetics (of a vowel) develop into a diphthong, under the influence of an adjacent sound【语音】（元音）发生割裂而变成双元音。
- (of prices on the stock exchange) fall sharply（股价）暴跌。
- (of news or a scandal) suddenly become public（新闻或丑闻）突然传开：
since the news broke I've received thousands of wonderful letters.
自从那条新闻披露以来, 我已经收到了几千封绝妙的信件。
- with obj.
break something to someone
make bad news known to someone向某人透露坏消息。
- an interruption of continuity or uniformity打破; 中止; 停顿; 间断：
the magazine has been published without a break since 1950.
1950年以来这本杂志的发行从未间断过。
- an act of separating oneself from a pre-existing state of affairs断绝：
a break with the past.
与过去告别。
- a change in the weather天气突变。
- with modifier a change of line, paragraph, or page换行; 换段; 换页：
dotted lines on the screen show page breaks.
屏幕上的虚线表示换页。
- a change of tone in a person's voice due to emotion（因情感作用）嗓音突变。
- an interruption in an electric circuit（电路）中断。
- （亦作break of serve 或 service break）Tennis the winning of a game against an opponent's serve【网球】对方发球而己方获胜, 破发。
- a pause in work中断, 暂停, 休息：
I need a break from mental activity
做脑力工作时, 我需要工间休息
they take long coffee breaks.
他们喝着咖啡休息了很长时间。
- Brit. an interval during the school day〈英〉课间休息：
the bell went for break.
下课铃响了。
- a short holiday短假：
a weekend break in the Cotswolds.
到科茨沃尔德度周末。
- a short solo or instrumental passage in jazz or popular music（爵士或流行音乐中的）独奏（或器乐演奏）短段。
- a period or time taken out of one's professional activity in order to do something else事假：
those returning to work after a career break.
那些事假后重新回来工作的人。
breaks
dance music featuring breakbeats碎拍舞曲。
- a gap or opening缺口, 口子：
the track bends left through a break in the hedge
树篱上有一个缺口, 小路由此拐向左
he stopped to wait for a break in the traffic.
他停下来等车流间歇时穿马路。
- an instance of breaking something; the point where something is broken破裂, 折断, 损坏; 裂口, 裂缝, 断裂处：
he was stretchered off with a break to the leg.
他腿部受伤, 给人用担架抬走了。
- a rush or dash in a particular direction, especially by an attacking player or team（尤指球员或球队）进攻：
Norwich scored on a rare break with 11 minutes left.
还有11分钟时, 诺里奇队发动了一场罕见的进攻而得分。
- informal an escape, typically from prison〈非正式〉逃跑（尤指越狱）。
- Cricket a change in the direction of a bowled ball on bouncing【板球】（投出的球）弹开, 转向。
- informal an opportunity or chance, especially one leading to professional success〈非正式〉机会, 机遇; （尤指事业成功的）转机：
his big break came when a critic gave him a rave review.
当一位评论家对他猛烈抨击时, 他时来运转了。
- Snooker & Billiards【斯诺克, 台球】a consecutive series of successful shots, scoring a specified number of points一次连续得分：
a break of 83 put him in front for the first time.
连续得了83分, 第一次使他领先。
- a player's turn to make the opening shot of a game开局。
- a bud or shoot sprouting from a stem芽, 蓓蕾。
break one's back
- put great effort into achieving something努力做成某事。
break the back of
- accomplish the main hardest part of (a task)完成某项任务中最困难的部分：
we've broken the back of the problem.
我们已经解决了这个问题的最困难的部分。
- overwhelm or defeat制服; 击败：
I thought we really had broken the back of inflation.
我想我们已经控制住了通货膨胀。
break the bank
- 见BANK2.
break bread
- 见BREAD.
break camp
- 见CAMP.
break cover
- (of game being hunted) emerge into the open（被追猎的动物）从隐藏处跳（或飞）出来。
break even
- reach a point in a business venture when the profits are equal to the costs不盈不亏, 得失相等。
break one's duck
- 见DUCK.
break someone's heart
- 见HEART.
break the ice
- 见ICE.
break in two
- break into two parts断裂成两半。
break a leg!
- theatrical slang good luck!〈舞台俚语〉好运气！
break the mould
- 见MOULD.
break of day
- dawn拂晓。
break something open
- open something forcibly强行（或用力）打开; 冲破。
break rank
- 见RANK1.
break （someone's） serve（或 service）
- win a game in a tennis match against an opponent's service（网球比赛中）破发。
break ship
- Nautical fail to rejoin one's ship after absence on leave【航海】（船员）逾假不归。
break step
- 见STEP.
break wind
- release gas from the anus放屁。
a clean break
- a complete separation from a situation or relationship一刀两断：
Dan decided it was best to make a clean break with the past.
丹决定最好和过去一刀两断。
give someone a break
- usu. in imperative informal stop putting pressure on someone about something〈非正式〉停止给某人施加压力。
- (give me a break) used to express contemptuous disagreement or disbelief about what has been said表示不信别人胡诌得了吧; 别以为我会这么笨; 收起你的噱头：
He's seven times as quick and he's only 20 years old. Give me a break.
他的速度比这快七倍, 而他才20岁。我才不会相信你呢！
make a break for
- make a sudden dash in the direction , especially in a bid to escape（尤指为逃跑而）冲向：
he made a break for the door.
他冲向门口。
that's（或them's）the breaks
- N. Amer. informal that's the way things turn out (used to express resigned acceptance of a situation)〈北美, 非正式〉到头来总是这个样（表示甘愿逆来顺受）。
break away
- (of a person) escape from someone's hold（人）挣脱, 逃脱。
- escape from the control of a person, group, or practice摆脱（某人、组织或习俗的）控制：
an attempt to break away from the elitism that has dominated the book trade.
摆脱精英人士对图书业控制的尝试。
- (of a competitor in a race) move into the lead（赛跑中参赛者）领先。
- (of a material or object) become detached from its base, typically through decay or under force脱落, 脱离。
break down
- (of a machine or motor vehicle) suddenly cease to function（机器或机动车辆）出故障; 抛锚：
his van broke down.
他的货车抛锚了。
- (of a person) experience a sudden failure of function in the vehicle they are driving（人）突遇车辆抛锚：
she broke down on the motorway.
她的车在高速公路上突然抛锚了。
- (of a relationship, agreement, or process) cease to continue; collapse（关系、协议、过程）决裂; 中断; 崩溃：
pay negotiations with management broke down.
同资方的薪金谈判破裂了。
- lose control of one's emotions when in a state of distress（感情）失去控制：
the old woman broke down in tears.
这位老妇人控制不住感情, 失声痛哭。
- (of a person's health or emotional control) fail or collapse（人的健康或情感）垮掉。
- undergo chemical decomposition化学分解：
waste products which break down into low-level toxic materials.
分解成低毒物质的工业垃圾。
break something down
- demolish a door or other barrier拆毁; 毁坏（门或其他障碍）：
they had to get the police to break the door down
他们不得不叫警察来把门砸开了
figurative 〈喻〉class barriers can be broken down by educational reform.
通过教育改革可以消除阶级障碍。
- separate something into a number of parts分解：
each tutorial is broken down into more manageable units.
每本辅导材料都被分成了更易处理的单元。
- analyse information分析信息：
bar graphs show how the information can be broken down.
条形图说明了如何分析信息。
- convert a substance into simpler compounds by chemical action分解（利用化学作用将物质转化为较简单的化合物）：
almost every natural substance can be broken down by bacteria.
几乎每一种天然物质都可被细菌分解。
break forth
- burst out suddenly; emerge爆发, 迸发。
break free
- another way of saying break away.同break away.
break in
- force entry to a building强行闯入。
- with direct speech interject插话：
'I don't want to interfere', Mrs Hendry broke in.
亨得利夫人插嘴说：“我不想干涉”。
break someone in
- familiarize someone with a new job or situation使某人熟悉新工作（或新环境）：
there was no time to break in a new foreign minister.
没时间让一位新外长来熟悉情况了。
-
break a horse in
accustom a horse to a saddle and bridle, and to being ridden驯马。
break something in
- wear something, typically new shoes, until becomes supple and comfortable使（新物件等）经使用后逐渐变得合用; 使（新鞋）合脚。
break in on
- interrupt打断：
the doctor's voice broke in on her thoughts.
医生的话打断了她的思绪。
break into
- enter or open (a place, vehicle, or container) forcibly, especially for the purposes of theft（尤指为盗窃目的）破门而入：
two raiders broke into his home
两名袭击者强行闯进了他的家
a friend of mine had his car broken into.
我一位朋友的车子门被人撬过。
- succeed in winning a share of (a market or a position in a profession)分占（市场或职位）：
foreign companies have largely failed to break into the domestic-equity business.
外国公司大部分未能进入国内证券市场。
- interrupt (a conversation)打断（谈话）。
- (of a person) suddenly or unexpectedly burst forth into (laughter or song)突然笑起来（或唱起来）。
- (of person's face or mouth) relax into (a smile)（脸部或嘴角）放松, 笑。
- change one's pace to (a faster one)加快步伐：
Greg broke into a sprint.
格雷格开始疾跑。
break off
- become severed断裂：
the fuselage had broken off just behind the pilot's seat.
机身正好就在飞行员座位后面断裂了。
- abruptly stop talking突然住口：
she broke off, stifling a sob.
她突然停止说话, 忍住了哭泣。
break something off
- remove something from a larger unit or whole断开, 撕开：
Tucker broke off a piece of bread.
塔克撕下一片面包。
- abruptly end or discontinue something突然停止, 突然中断：
Britain threatened to break off diplomatic relations.
英国威胁中止外交关系。
break out
- (of war, fighting, or similarly undesirable things) start suddenly（战争, 战斗或类似的不受欢迎的事件）突然爆发：
forest fires have broken out across Indonesia.
印度尼西亚爆发了全国性的森林火灾。
- (of a physical discomfort) suddenly manifest itself（身体不适）突然发作：
prickles of sweat had broken out along her backbone.
密密的汗珠沿着她的脊梁沁出来。
- escape逃跑：
a prisoner broke out of his cell.
一名犯人越狱了
figurative 〈喻〉executives looking to break out of the corporate hierarchy.
指望打破公司等级制度的管理人员。
break out in
- (of a person or a part of their body) be suddenly affected by an unpleasant sensation or condition（人或身体某部）突感不适：
she had broken out in a rash.
她身上突然出了疹子。
break something out
- informal open and start using something〈非正式〉打开（或开启）…以供使用：
it was time to break out the champagne.
开香槟的时刻到了。
break through
- make or force a way through (a barrier)突破（障碍）, 冲破：
demonstrators attempted to break through the police lines
示威者试图冲破警方设置的警戒线
the sun might break through in a few spots.
几缕阳光可能会冲破云层。
- figurative (of a person) achieve success in a particular area〈喻〉（在某一方面）取得成就：
so many talented players are struggling to break through.
这么多有才华的演员都在努力争取突破。
break up
- disintegrate; disperse分散; （使）分裂; （使）瓦解：
the grey clouds had begun to break up.
乌云已开始散去。
- (of a gathering) disband; end（集会）结束, 解散。
- Brit. end the school term〈英〉（学校）开始放假：
we broke up for the summer.
我们放暑假了。
- (of a couple in a relationship) part company（恋爱或婚姻中的男女）分手。
- (of a radio or telephone signal) be interrupted by interference（无线电或电话信号）被干扰中断。
- start laughing uncontrollably爆发大笑：
the whole cast broke up.
全体演员哄堂大笑。
- chiefly N. Amer. become emotionally upset〈主北美〉变得心烦。
break someone up
- chiefly N. Amer. cause someone to become extremely upset〈主北美〉使心烦, 使烦恼。
break something up
- cause something to separate into several pieces, parts, or sections打碎, 打破; 分解：
break up the chocolate and place it in a bowl
把巧克力打碎后放在碗里
he intends to break the company up into strategic business units.
他想把公司分成几个战略小组。
- cut something up for scrap metal（被）支解; （被）拆卸：
she was towed to Bo'Ness and broken up.
这船被拖到博奈斯给拆了。
- disperse or put an end to a gathering驱散集会者, 迫使集会结束：
police broke up a demonstration in the capital.
警方驱散了首都的示威队伍。
- cause a relationship to dissolve导致关系破裂：
I'm not going to let you break up my marriage.
我决不会让你破坏我的婚姻。
- bring a social event or meeting to an end by being the first person to leave（因带头离开而）搅散（社交活动或聚会）：
Richard was sorry to break up the party.
理查德很抱歉自己搅散了聚会。
break with
- quarrel or cease relations with (someone)与（某人）关系破裂：
he had broken with his family long before.
很久以前他就和家里断绝来往了。
- act in a way that is not in accordance with (a custom or tradition)打破常规。
- former term for BREAKING CART.BREAKING CART的原称。