The meaning of Breaking

verb

Change in character or composition, typically in a comparatively small but significant way.

Usage examples:

Eliot was persuaded to alter the passage

verb

To change a characteristic, often slightly, or to cause this to happen

Usage examples:

[ t ] the coat was too long, so i took it back to the store to have it altered., some things in lif…

verb

To change the appearance, character, or structure of something, or to be changed in this way

Usage examples:

Just last week, the company agreed to alter some of its business practices., if they want to contin…

noun

An act of breaking or failing to observe a law, agreement, or code of conduct.

Usage examples:

A breach of confidence

verb

Make a gap in and break through (a wall, barrier, or defence).

Usage examples:

The river breached its bank

phrasal verb

Begin suddenly and sometimes violently

phrasal verb

To escape from a place or a situation

Usage examples:

Two inmates broke out of prison and are still at large., detergents make my hands break out., i hat…

collocation

To start feeling extremely worried or frightened

Usage examples:

The memory of it still makes me break out in a cold sweat., he could not even hear her name mention…

verb

Break open or apart suddenly and violently, especially as a result of an impact or internal pressure.

Usage examples:

One of the balloons burst

noun

An instance of breaking or splitting as a result of internal pressure or puncturing; an explosion.

Usage examples:

The mortar bursts were further away than before

noun

A woman's chest as measured around her breasts.

Usage examples:

A 36-inch bust

verb

Break, split, or burst.

Usage examples:

They bust the tunnel wide open

adjective

Damaged or broken.

Usage examples:

The vacuum cleaner's bust

verb

Make (someone or something) different; alter or modify.

Usage examples:

Both parties voted against proposals to change the law

noun

An act or process through which something becomes different.

Usage examples:

The change from a nomadic to an agricultural society

verb

Offend against the prohibition or order of (a law, treaty, or code of conduct).

Usage examples:

He contravened the official secrets act

verb

To not obey a rule or law, or to not do what you promised

Usage examples:

The toy manufacturer contravened safety codes by using toxic paints on its dolls.

noun

A line on the surface of something along which it has split without breaking apart.

Usage examples:

A hairline crack down the middle of the glass

verb

Break or cause to break without a complete separation of the parts.

Usage examples:

The ice all over the bog had cracked

adjective

Very good or skilful.

Usage examples:

He is a crack shot

verb

Openly resist or refuse to obey.

Usage examples:

A woman who defies convention

verb

Break up into small parts as the result of impact or decay.

Usage examples:

Our shoes had to last until they disintegrated on our feet

verb

To become weaker or be destroyed by breaking into small pieces

Usage examples:

The spacecraft disintegrated as it entered the earth’s atmosphere.

verb

Fail to obey (rules, a command, or someone in authority).

Usage examples:

Around 1,000 soldiers had disobeyed orders and surrendered

verb

To intentionally fail to do what you are told or expected to do; not obey

Usage examples:

[ t ] half of the city’s drivers tend to disobey rules and behave poorly.

verb

Pay no attention to; ignore.

Usage examples:

The body of evidence is too substantial to disregard

noun

The action or state of paying no attention to something.

Usage examples:

Blatant disregard for the law

noun

Lack of consideration or respect

Usage examples:

The writer has shown a reckless disregard for the truth., the jury was told to disregard the commen…

verb

Interfere with the normal arrangement or functioning of.

Usage examples:

Take the rollers out carefully so as not to disturb the curls too much

verb

To cause someone to stop what the person is doing, or to interrupt an activity

Usage examples:

Please don’t disturb jimmy – he’s trying to do his homework., this year’s election campaign has dis…

verb

To interrupt what someone is doing

Usage examples:

Please don't disturb your sister - she's trying to do her homework., i'm sorry to disturb you so la…

verb

Separate or be separated into parts.

Usage examples:

Consumer magazines can be divided into a number of categories

noun

A difference or disagreement between two groups, typically producing tension.

Usage examples:

There was still a profound cultural divide between the parties

verb

To separate into parts or groups, or to cause something to separate in such a way

Usage examples:

[ t ] divide the cake into six equal parts., [ i ] the votes divided equally for and against the pr…

verb

(of a volcano) become active and eject lava, ash, and gases.

Usage examples:

Mount pinatubo began erupting in june

verb

Start suddenly

verb

To burst out suddenly or explode

Usage examples:

The crowd erupted in cheers., the building erupted in flames when the plane struck it.

verb

Openly disregard (a rule, law, or convention).

Usage examples:

The advertising code is being flouted

verb

Treat with contemptuous disregard

verb

To intentionally disobey a rule or law, or to intentionally avoid behavior that is usual or expected

Usage examples:

They think they can flout the law and get away with it., he conducted business in his pajamas to fl…

noun

The cracking or breaking of a hard object or material.

Usage examples:

Ground movements could cause fracture of the pipe

verb

Break or cause to break.

Usage examples:

The stone has fractured

verb

To crack or break something, esp. a bone

Usage examples:

[ t ] she fractured her skull in the accident., [ i ] this mineral fractures along straight lines.,…

noun

A small part broken off or separated from something.

Usage examples:

Small fragments of pottery

verb

Break or cause to break into fragments.

Usage examples:

Lough erne fragmented into a series of lakes

noun

A small piece or part, esp. one that is broken off of something

Usage examples:

A bone fragment, a fragment of indian pottery, she read a fragment of the story.

verb

Refuse to take notice of or acknowledge; disregard intentionally.

Usage examples:

He ignored her outraged question

verb

Refuse to acknowledge

verb

To give no attention to something or someone

Usage examples:

They ignored our warnings., the mayor ignored the hecklers and went on with her speech.

verb

Break the terms of (a law or agreement).

Usage examples:

They are sticklers for rules and report you to the authorities if you infract them

verb

Actively break the terms of (a law, agreement, etc.).

Usage examples:

Making an unauthorized copy would infringe copyright

verb

Stop the continuous progress of (an activity or process).

Usage examples:

The buzzer interrupted his thoughts

verb

To stop someone from speaking by saying or doing something, or to cause an activity or event to stop briefly

Usage examples:

[ i ] please don’t interrupt until i’m finished., [ t ] the picnic was interrupted by a rain shower…

verb

(of an insect or amphibian) undergo metamorphosis, especially into the adult form.

Usage examples:

Feed the larvae to your fish before they metamorphose into adults

verb

To change into a completely different form or type

Usage examples:

The awkward boy i knew had metamorphosed into a tall, confident man.

verb

Tear (something) into pieces.

Usage examples:

Snapping teeth that would rend human flesh to shreds

verb

To break something violently; tear

verb

To tear or break something violently

Usage examples:

With one stroke of his sword, he rent his enemy's helmet in two., [ + adj ] firemen had to rend him…

verb

(especially of a pipe or container, or bodily part such as an organ or membrane) break or burst suddenly.

Usage examples:

If the main artery ruptures he could die

noun

An instance of breaking or bursting suddenly and completely.

Usage examples:

A small hairline crack could develop into a rupture

verb

To burst or break, or to cause something to burst or break

Usage examples:

[ i ] high winds caused the oil tank to rupture., there is a rupture in confidence in government.

adjective

Forming or viewed as a unit apart or by itself.

Usage examples:

This raises two separate issues

verb

Cause to move or be apart.

Usage examples:

Both owners were trying to separate the dogs

plural noun

Individual items of clothing, such as skirts, jackets, or trousers, suitable for wearing in different combinations.

Usage examples:

Day wear consists of angular shaped separates that include wide-neck jumpers and half-mast trousers.

verb

Divide by cutting or slicing, especially suddenly and forcibly.

Usage examples:

The head was severed from the body

verb

Set or keep apart

verb

Break or cause to break suddenly and violently into pieces.

Usage examples:

Bullets riddled the bar top, glasses shattered, bottles exploded

verb

Move or cause to move from one place to another, especially over a small distance.

Usage examples:

A team from the power company came to shift the cables away from the house

noun

A slight change in position, direction, or tendency.

Usage examples:

A shift in public opinion

verb

Move very slightly

verb

Shake slightly and uncontrollably as a result of being cold, frightened, or excited.

Usage examples:

They shivered in the damp foggy cold

noun

A momentary trembling movement.

Usage examples:

She gave a little shiver as the wind flicked at her bare arms

verb

Break into such splinters or fragments.

Usage examples:

The world seemed to shiver into a million splinters of prismatic colour

verb

Violently break (something) into pieces.

Usage examples:

The thief smashed a window to get into the car

noun

An act or sound of something smashing.

Usage examples:

He heard the smash of glass

adverb

With a sudden, violent shattering.

Usage examples:

They were together for an instant, and then smash it was all gone

verb

Break suddenly and completely, typically with a sharp cracking sound.

Usage examples:

Guitar strings kept snapping

noun

A sudden, sharp cracking sound or movement.

Usage examples:

She closed her purse with a snap

adjective

Done or taken on the spur of the moment, unexpectedly, or without notice.

Usage examples:

A snap decision

noun

A small, thin, sharp piece of wood, glass, or similar material broken off from a larger piece.

Usage examples:

A splinter of ice

verb

Break or cause to break into small sharp fragments.

Usage examples:

The soap box splintered

noun

A small, sharp, piece of wood, glass, or similar material that has broken off a larger piece

Usage examples:

She tried to ignore the splinter in her foot., the old tree cracked and splintered as it fell.

verb

Break or cause to break forcibly into parts, especially into halves or along the grain.

Usage examples:

The ice cracked and split

noun

A tear, crack, or fissure in something, especially down the middle or along the grain.

Usage examples:

Splits appeared in the decaying planks

proper noun

A seaport on the coast of southern croatia; population 177,500 (est. 2009). founded as a roman colony in 78 bc, it contains the ruins of the palace of the emperor diocletian, built in about ad 300.

verb

Pull (something) apart or to pieces with force.

Usage examples:

I tore up the letter

noun

A hole or split in something caused by it having been pulled apart forcefully.

Usage examples:

There was a tear in her dress

verb

(of the eye) produce tears.

Usage examples:

The freezing wind made her eyes tear

verb

Break or fail to comply with (a rule or formal agreement).

Usage examples:

They violated the terms of a ceasefire

verb

Fail to agree with; go against

verb

To break or act against something such as a law, agreement, or principle, or to not respect something that should be treated with respect

Usage examples:

The planes appear to have deliberately violated the cease-fire agreement., questions of this kind v…