crack (used about something hard) to break so that a line appears, but without dividing into smaller pieces; to break something in this way: The ice cracked as I stepped on it. ♦ This mirror is cracked. ♦ He cracked a tooth playing football.
smash to break into many pieces in a violent and noisy way; to break something in this way: The glass bowl smashed into a thousand pieces . ♦ Several windows had been smashed. ♦ He smashed the box open and took the jewelry from inside.
snap to break suddenly into two pieces with a sharp noise; to break something in this way: Suddenly, the cable snapped. ♦ The weight of the snow snapped the branch in two .
burst to break open suddenly; to make something break in this way: That balloon will burst if you blow it up any more. ♦ Don't burst that balloon! ♦ The dam burst under the weight of the water.
break2/ breik / noun [ count ]
1 a place where something opens or has broken The sun shone through a break in the clouds.
a short time when you stop doing something We worked all day without a break.
an opportunity to do something; a chance to be successful
He got his big break when he appeared on "American Idol."
give someone a break
to stop bothering someone or being unfair to them Give me a break! I've been working all day!
break • down / breikdaun / noun [ count ]
a time when a machine, car, etc. stops working We had a breakdown on the highway.
the failure or end of something
The breakdown of the talks could lead to more violence.
another word for nervous breakdown
break .fast Ф / brekfsst / noun
[ count, noncount ]
the first meal of the day I had breakfast at seven o'clock. to eat a big breakfast
break -in / ' breik |in/ noun [ count ]
the act of entering a building by force, especially to steal something
The police reported several break-ins in the area.
break • through / breikeru / noun [ count ]
something important that you discover or develop to made a breakthrough in cancer research
break • up / ' breikvp / noun [ count ]
the end of a relationship between two people the breakup of a marriage
breast / brest / noun [ count ]
Pronunciation
The word breast sounds like test .
one of the two soft round parts of a woman's body that can give milk
the front part of a bird's body
breast • stroke / breststrouk ; brestrouk / noun [ noncount ]
( sports ) a way of swimming on your front in which you push both arms forward and then pull them back to your sides in a circle Can you do the breaststroke ?
—Look at crawl 2 .
breath Ф / bree / noun [ count, noncount ]
the air that you take in and let out through your nose and mouth
Take a deep breath .
He has bad breath (= breath that smells bad ) .
hold your breath
to stop breathing for a short time
We all held our breath as the winner was announced.
out of breath
breathing very quickly
She was out of breath after climbing the stairs. under your breath
If you say something under your breath , you say it quietly because you do not want people to hear "Idiot!" he muttered under his breath.
breathe Ф / brid /
( breathes, breath • ing, breathed )
to take in and let out air through your nose and mouth The doctor told me to breathe in and then breathe out again slowly.
breath • less / ' bre6bs /
