breaking out

Verb

break out (third-person singular simple present breaks out, present participle breaking out, simple past broke out, past participle broken out)

1. (intransitive) To escape, especially forcefully or defiantly.
   • They broke out of prison in the middle of the night.

   Synonyms:

   bust out

2. (transitive) To rescue someone or aid their escape as in sense 1.
   • After Big Tony was sent to prison, his friends got together to break him out.

   Synonyms:

   bust out

3. (idiomatic, transitive) To bring out from storage, use, or present.
   • Break out the bubbly and celebrate.

   Synonyms:

   bust out

4. (transitive) To separate (something) from a bundle.
   • Break out the cables from the harness once they are inside the frame.

   Synonyms:

   sunder out

5. (transitive) To take or force out by breaking.
   • to break out a pane of glass
6. (intransitive) To begin suddenly; to emerge in a certain condition.
   • He broke out in sweat.

See all 9 meanings of break out