breake

Verb

break (third-person singular simple present breaks, present participle breaking, simple past broke or (archaic) brake, past participle broken or (nonstandard) broke)

1. (ergative, intransitive, transitive) To separate into two or more pieces, to fracture or crack, by a process that cannot easily be reversed for reassembly.
   • If the vase falls to the floor, it might break.
   1. (ergative, intransitive, transitive) To crack or fracture (bone) under a physical strain.
      • His ribs broke under the weight of the rocks piled on his chest.
   2. (ergative, intransitive, transitive) To make the first shot; to scatter the balls from the initial neat arrangement.
      • Is it your or my turn to break?
   3. (ergative, figuratively, intransitive, transitive) To divide (something, often money) into smaller units.
      • Can you break a hundred-dollar bill for me?
   4. (ergative, figuratively, intransitive, transitive) To use a high-value denomination of currency, thus necessitating being given change in smaller denominations.
      • I don't want to break my hundred dollar bill.
   5. (ergative, intransitive, transitive) To change the orderliness or compactness of an arrangement.
      • The soldier broke formation.

See all 103 meanings of break