break

1. V-T/V-I When an object breaks or when you break it, it suddenly separates into two or more pieces, often because it has been hit or dropped. 打碎; 破碎

He fell through the window, breaking the glass. 他打破玻璃，从窗口摔了出去。

The plate broke. 盘子碎了。

The plane broke into three pieces. 那架飞机碎成了3块。

2. V-T/V-I If you break a part of your body such as your leg, your arm, or your nose, or if a bone breaks, you are injured because a bone cracks or splits. 弄折 (骨头); 骨折

She broke a leg in a skiing accident. 她在一次滑雪事故中摔断了一条腿。

Old bones break easily. 老骨头容易骨折。

3. N-COUNT Break is also a noun. 骨折

It has caused a bad break to Gabriella's leg. 这导致了加布里埃拉的一条腿严重骨折。

4. V-T/V-I If a surface, cover, or seal breaks or if something breaks it, a hole or tear is made in it, so that a substance can pass through. 拆裂; 开裂

Once you've broken the seal of a bottle there's no way you can put it back together again. 一旦你撕开瓶子的封口,就没法将它重新合上。

The bandage must be put on when the blister breaks. 水疱破口后必须包扎上绷带。

5. V-T/V-I When a tool or piece of machinery breaks or when you break it, it is damaged and no longer works. 损坏

When the clutch broke, the car was locked into second gear. 离合器损坏了后,那辆轿车被锁在了二档。

V-T/V-I

1. V-T If someone breaks something, especially a difficult or unpleasant situation that has existed for some time, they end it or change it. 结束; 打破 (困难或不快的情形)

We need to break the vicious cycle of violence and counterviolence. 我们需要结束暴力和反暴力的恶性循环。

New proposals have been put forward to break the deadlock among rival factions. 新的提议已被提出来以打破对立派之间的僵局。

2. N-COUNT Break is also a noun. 结束; (对困难或不快的情形的) 打破

Nothing that might lead to a break in the deadlock has been discussed yet. 任何可能促成僵局破除的举措尚未被讨论。

3. V-T If someone or something breaks a silence, they say something or make a noise after a long period of silence. 打破 (沉默)

Hugh broke the silence. "Is she always late?" he asked. 休打破了沉默。问道：“她总是迟到吗？”

4. V-T/V-I If you break with a group of people or a traditional way of doing things, or you break your connection with them, you stop being involved with that group or stop doing things in that way. 断绝 (关系); 打破 (传统)

In 1959, Akihito broke with imperial tradition by marrying a commoner. 1959年,明仁天皇打破皇室传统,与一个平民结了婚。

They were determined to break from precedent. 他们决心打破先例。

5. N-COUNT Break is also a noun. (对关系的) 断绝; (对传统的) 打破

Making a completely clean break with the past, the couple got rid of all their old furniture. 为了与过去断得一干二净,这对夫妻丢弃了他们所有的旧家具。

6. V-T If you break a habit or if someone breaks you of it, you no longer have that habit. 戒除 (习惯)

If you continue to smoke, keep trying to break the habit. 如果你继续吸烟,继续试着戒掉这一习惯吧。

7. V-I If someone breaks for a short period of time, they rest or change from what they are doing for a short period. (短暂) 休息

They broke for lunch. 他们停下来吃午饭。

8. N-COUNT A break is a short period of time when you have a rest or a change from what you are doing, especially if you are working or if you are in a boring or unpleasant situation. 短暂休息

They may be able to help with childcare so that you can have a break. 他们或许能帮忙看孩子,这样你可以歇歇。

I thought a 15 minute break from his work would do him good. 我认为15分钟的工作休息对他会有好处。

9. N-COUNT A break is a short holiday. 短假

They are currently taking a short break in Spain. 他们目前在西班牙休短假。

10. V-T If you break your journey somewhere, you stop there for a short time so that you can have a rest. (旅行中) 使歇脚

We broke our journey at a small country hotel. 我们在一家小乡村旅店歇了歇脚。

V-T

1. V-T If you break a rule, promise, or agreement, you do something that you should not do according to that rule, promise, or agreement. 违反

We didn't know we were breaking the law. 我们那时不知道我们在违法。

The company has consistently denied it had knowingly broken arms embargoes. 该公司始终否认故意违反了武器禁运规定。

2. V-I If you break free or loose, you free yourself from something or escape from it. 挣脱

She broke free by thrusting her elbow into his chest. 她用胳膊肘猛杵他的胸部挣脱了开来。

3. V-T To break the force of something such as a blow or fall means to weaken its effect, for example, by getting in the way of it. 减弱 (打击、坠落等的力度)

He sustained serious neck injuries after he broke someone's fall. 他被坠落的人砸中之后受了严重颈伤。

4. V-I When a piece of news breaks, people hear about it from the newspapers, television, or radio. (消息) 传开

The news broke that Montgomery was under investigation. 消息传出说蒙哥马利在受到调查。

5. V-T When you break a piece of bad news to someone, you tell it to them, usually in a kind way. (常指善意地) 说出 (不好的消息)

Then Louise broke the news that she was leaving me. 之后路易丝说出了她要离开我的消息。

6. N-COUNT A break is a lucky opportunity that someone gets to achieve something. 时来运转[非正式]

Her first break came when she was chosen out of 100 guitarists auditioning for a spot on Michael Jackson's tour. 她的第一次时来运转是被从100名吉他手的试奏中选出来参加迈克尔·杰克逊的巡演。

7. V-T If you break a record, you beat the previous record for a particular achievement. 打破 (记录)

Carl Lewis has broken the world record in the 100 metres. 卡尔·刘易斯打破了百米赛跑的世界纪录。

8. V-I When day or dawn breaks, it starts to grow light after the night has ended. 破晓

They continued the search as dawn broke. 他们在天亮之后继续搜寻。

9. V-I When a wave breaks, it passes its highest point and turns downward, for example, when it reaches the shore. (波浪) 落下

Danny listened to the waves breaking against the shore. 丹尼听着波浪拍岸的声音。

10. V-T If you break a secret code, you work out how to understand it. 破解 (密码)

It was feared they could break the Allies' codes. 只怕他们能破解盟军的密码。

11. V-I If someone's voice breaks when they are speaking, it changes its sound, for example, because they are sad or afraid. (嗓音因悲伤、害怕等而) 变调

Godfrey's voice broke, and halted. 戈弗雷的嗓音变了调,然后停了下来。

12. V-I When a boy's voice breaks, it becomes deeper and sounds more like a man's voice. (男孩) 变声

He sings with the strained discomfort of someone whose voice hasn't quite broken. 他紧张不适地唱着, 嗓音像个还未完全变声的人。

13. V-I If the weather breaks or a storm breaks, it suddenly becomes rainy or stormy after a period of sunshine. (天气) 突变; (暴风雨) 骤起

I've been waiting for the weather to break. 我一直在等待下雨。

14. →see also broke , broken , heartbreak , heartbreaking , heartbroken , outbreak

15. to break even→see even

16. to break new ground→see ground

17. to break someone's heart→see heart

18. all hell breaks loose→see hell

19. to break the ice→see ice

20. to break ranks→see rank

21.  to break wind→see wind