Quick definitions from WordNet (break)
▸ noun: an escape from jail ("The breakout was carefully planned")
▸ noun: a sudden dash ("He made a break for the open door")
▸ noun: an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity ("It was presented without commercial breaks")
▸ noun: (tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving ("He was up two breaks in the second set")
▸ noun: the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool
▸ noun: an unexpected piece of good luck ("He finally got his big break")
▸ noun: the occurrence of breaking ("The break in the dam threatened the valley")
▸ noun: any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare ("The break in the eighth frame cost him the match")
▸ noun: the act of breaking something ("The breakage was unavoidable")
▸ noun: some abrupt occurrence that interrupts ("There was a break in the action when a player was hurt")
▸ noun: breaking of hard tissue such as bone ("The break seems to have been caused by a fall")
▸ noun: a pause from doing something (as work) ("We took a 10-minute break")
▸ noun: a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions) ("They hoped to avoid a break in relations")
▸ noun: a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
▸ noun: (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other
▸ verb: move away or escape suddenly ("Nobody can break out--this prison is high security")
▸ verb: change directions suddenly
▸ verb: invalidate by judicial action
▸ verb: of the male voice in puberty ("His voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir")
▸ verb: render inoperable or ineffective
▸ verb: interrupt a continued activity
▸ verb: cause the failure or ruin of ("This play will either make or break the playwright")
▸ verb: happen or take place ("Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months")
▸ verb: come forth or begin from a state of latency
▸ verb: give up ("Break cigarette smoking")
▸ verb: cause to give up a habit
▸ verb: vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity
▸ verb: come to an end
▸ verb: become separated into pieces or fragments
▸ verb: destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments
▸ verb: happen
▸ verb: weaken or destroy in spirit or body
▸ verb: prevent completion ("Break off the negociations")
▸ verb: change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another
▸ verb: come into being
▸ verb: find the solution or key to ("Break the code")
▸ verb: find a flaw in ("Break an alibi")
▸ verb: undergo breaking
▸ verb: interrupt the flow of current in ("Break a circuit")
▸ verb: be released or become known; of news
▸ verb: diminish or discontinue abruptly
▸ verb: pierce or penetrate
▸ verb: become punctured or penetrated
▸ verb: break a piece from a whole ("Break a branch from a tree")
▸ verb: go to pieces
▸ verb: ruin completely
▸ verb: fall sharply
▸ verb: separate from a clinch, in boxing
▸ verb: make the opening shot that scatters the balls
▸ verb: destroy the completeness of a set of related items ("The book dealer would not break the set")
▸ verb: exchange for smaller units of money ("I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy")
▸ verb: force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up ("Break into tears")
▸ verb: be broken in ("If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress")
▸ verb: curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves
▸ verb: emerge from the surface of a body of water
▸ verb: scatter or part
▸ verb: make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing
▸ verb: enter someone's property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act
▸ verb: terminate ("Break a lucky streak")
▸ verb: surpass in excellence ("Break a record")
▸ verb: fracture a bone of
▸ verb: make submissive, obedient, or useful ("The horse was tough to break")
▸ verb: reduce to bankruptcy ("My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!")
▸ verb: fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns
▸ verb: become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
▸ verb: cease an action temporarily ("Let's break for lunch")
▸ verb: do a break dance ("Kids were break-dancing at the street corner")
▸ verb: assign to a lower position; reduce in rank
▸ verb: discontinue an association or relation; go different ways
▸ verb: lessen in force or effect ("Break a fall")
▸ verb: break down, literally or metaphorically
▸ verb: act in disregard of laws and rules ("Break a law")
▸ verb: stop operating or functioning
▸ verb: make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
▸ Also see break
▸ noun: an escape from jail ("The breakout was carefully planned")
▸ noun: a sudden dash ("He made a break for the open door")
▸ noun: an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity ("It was presented without commercial breaks")
▸ noun: (tennis) a score consisting of winning a game when your opponent was serving ("He was up two breaks in the second set")
▸ noun: the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool
▸ noun: an unexpected piece of good luck ("He finally got his big break")
▸ noun: the occurrence of breaking ("The break in the dam threatened the valley")
▸ noun: any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare ("The break in the eighth frame cost him the match")
▸ noun: the act of breaking something ("The breakage was unavoidable")
▸ noun: some abrupt occurrence that interrupts ("There was a break in the action when a player was hurt")
▸ noun: breaking of hard tissue such as bone ("The break seems to have been caused by a fall")
▸ noun: a pause from doing something (as work) ("We took a 10-minute break")
▸ noun: a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions) ("They hoped to avoid a break in relations")
▸ noun: a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
▸ noun: (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other
▸ verb: move away or escape suddenly ("Nobody can break out--this prison is high security")
▸ verb: change directions suddenly
▸ verb: invalidate by judicial action
▸ verb: of the male voice in puberty ("His voice is breaking--he should no longer sing in the choir")
▸ verb: render inoperable or ineffective
▸ verb: interrupt a continued activity
▸ verb: cause the failure or ruin of ("This play will either make or break the playwright")
▸ verb: happen or take place ("Things have been breaking pretty well for us in the past few months")
▸ verb: come forth or begin from a state of latency
▸ verb: give up ("Break cigarette smoking")
▸ verb: cause to give up a habit
▸ verb: vary or interrupt a uniformity or continuity
▸ verb: come to an end
▸ verb: become separated into pieces or fragments
▸ verb: destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments
▸ verb: happen
▸ verb: weaken or destroy in spirit or body
▸ verb: prevent completion ("Break off the negociations")
▸ verb: change suddenly from one tone quality or register to another
▸ verb: come into being
▸ verb: find the solution or key to ("Break the code")
▸ verb: find a flaw in ("Break an alibi")
▸ verb: undergo breaking
▸ verb: interrupt the flow of current in ("Break a circuit")
▸ verb: be released or become known; of news
▸ verb: diminish or discontinue abruptly
▸ verb: pierce or penetrate
▸ verb: become punctured or penetrated
▸ verb: break a piece from a whole ("Break a branch from a tree")
▸ verb: go to pieces
▸ verb: ruin completely
▸ verb: fall sharply
▸ verb: separate from a clinch, in boxing
▸ verb: make the opening shot that scatters the balls
▸ verb: destroy the completeness of a set of related items ("The book dealer would not break the set")
▸ verb: exchange for smaller units of money ("I had to break a $100 bill just to buy the candy")
▸ verb: force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up ("Break into tears")
▸ verb: be broken in ("If the new teacher won't break, we'll add some stress")
▸ verb: curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves
▸ verb: emerge from the surface of a body of water
▸ verb: scatter or part
▸ verb: make a rupture in the ranks of the enemy or one's own by quitting or fleeing
▸ verb: enter someone's property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act
▸ verb: terminate ("Break a lucky streak")
▸ verb: surpass in excellence ("Break a record")
▸ verb: fracture a bone of
▸ verb: make submissive, obedient, or useful ("The horse was tough to break")
▸ verb: reduce to bankruptcy ("My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!")
▸ verb: fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns
▸ verb: become fractured; break or crack on the surface only
▸ verb: cease an action temporarily ("Let's break for lunch")
▸ verb: do a break dance ("Kids were break-dancing at the street corner")
▸ verb: assign to a lower position; reduce in rank
▸ verb: discontinue an association or relation; go different ways
▸ verb: lessen in force or effect ("Break a fall")
▸ verb: break down, literally or metaphorically
▸ verb: act in disregard of laws and rules ("Break a law")
▸ verb: stop operating or functioning
▸ verb: make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
▸ Also see break