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to break
01
romper, quebrar
to separate something into more pieces, often in a sudden way
Transitive: to break sth
Example
Be careful not to break the glass when you wash the dishes.
The storm 's strong winds can break branches off the trees.
The kids tend to break their toys if they play too roughly.
1.1
romperse, quebrarse
to become damaged and separated into pieces because of a blow, shock, etc.
Intransitive
Example
The chair legs could n't support his weight and broke.
The plate slipped from her grasp and broke into shards.
The tree branch broke during the heavy storm.
02
fugarse, escaparse
to manage to get away from captivity
Example
The prisoners devised a clever plan to break out of the maximum-security prison.
She used her strength to break loose from the kidnapper's grip.
The hostages seized an opportunity to break away from their captors.
03
romper, fracturar
to cause a crack and a separation in one of the bones of the body
Transitive: to break a bone
Example
The skier had a bad fall and broke several ribs.
He had broken his arm at the elbow.
The athlete broke his leg during the soccer match.
04
violar
to fail to obey the law
Transitive: to break a law
Example
She was caught breaking the contract by sharing confidential information.
The company will face consequences if they break environmental regulations.
Breaking the no-smoking rule can result in fines in public places.
05
romperse, fallar
(of a piece of equipment) to become inoperative or unusable
Intransitive
Example
I 'm sorry, but the blender has broken, and we need to get a replacement.
I ca n't play my favorite video game because the console broke.
Sorry, the printer has broken, so we ca n't print the documents right now.
06
interrumpir, romper
to end or interrupt something, particularly a sentence, remark, or course of action
Transitive: to break a situation or course of action
Example
The interruption broke his train of thought, and he lost his place in the presentation.
The loud music next door broke my concentration while I was studying.
The applause from the audience broke her emotional speech.
6.1
hacer un descanso
to put a temporary halt to something, particularly in order to have a drink or eat something
Intransitive
Example
The conference will break for a networking session in the afternoon.
We 'll break briefly and then get back to work.
Shall we break for a moment to grab some refreshments?
6.2
amortiguar, mitigar
to try to lessen the force or impact of a fall
Transitive: to break a fall
Example
His quick reflexes allowed him to twist and turn, trying to break his fall as he fell from the ladder.
Grab onto something to break your fall if you slip on the wet floor.
As she tumbled down the hill, she rolled to break her fall.
6.3
romper, superar
to excel in doing something compared to anyone else who has ever tried it
Transitive: to break a record
Example
His incredible feat in the high jump might remain a record that may never be broken.
Their teamwork and dedication to the project broke all previous records of success.
Her achievements in the field of medicine are so remarkable that they may never be broken.
6.4
romper, dejar
to do one's best to make a habit go away
Transitive: to break a habit
Example
His friends have tried everything to break him of his excessive gaming habit
It 's challenging to break the habit of biting your nails.
He decided to break the habit of constantly checking his phone.
07
romper, quebrar
to destroy someone in a mental sense
Transitive: to break sb
7.1
romper la huelga, quebrar la huelga
to negate a strike, particularly by replacing the striking workers
Transitive: to break a strike
Example
The company 's strategy to break the strike resulted in a lengthy labor dispute.
They brought in temporary workers to break the strike and keep production going.
Efforts to break the strike were met with resistance from the striking employees.
7.2
romper
to make someone confess, submit, or obey, particularly by hitting or torturing them
Transitive: to break sb
Example
The detective 's relentless questioning finally broke the suspect.
The aim of discipline in the military is to build character, not to break soldiers.
7.3
romper
to weaken someone or something in order to destroy them
Transitive: to break sth
Example
The constant criticism from his peers began to break his self-esteem.
The betrayal by his closest friend nearly broke his trust in people.
The constant stress can break a person's spirit.
08
mudarse
(of a boy's voice at the age of 13 or older) to become permanently deeper
Intransitive
Example
After his voice broke, he joined the bass section of the choir.
After a few months, his voice began to break, and he no longer sounded like a child.
As he grew older, his voice gradually broke, and he developed a deeper tone.
8.1
cambiar la voz
(of a person's voice) to change in tone due to going through intense emotion
Intransitive
Example
Her voice broke as she described the accident.
During the emotional farewell, his voice broke as he said goodbye.
Her voice broke with relief when she found her missing wallet.
09
descifrar
to unravel the secret or find the meaning behind something
Transitive: to break a secret or complex problem
Example
With their combined efforts, they were able to break the complex algorithm.
Breaking the code required both skill and patience.
The team of archaeologists managed to break the ancient hieroglyphs, revealing the hidden history.
10
difundir
(of news) to be released or made known to the public
Intransitive
Example
The news of the election results broke on live television.
The scandal finally broke after months of rumors.
The celebrity 's engagement news broke on social media.
10.1
darse a conocer
to tell someone some important news, often bad news
Ditransitive: to break news to sb
Example
I do n't want to do it.
They decided to break the news to their parents together.
He will need to break the news to his team that the project is delayed.
11
separarse
(of wrestlers or boxers) to let go of or come out of a grappling position, particularly when asked by the referee
Intransitive
Example
It 's important for wrestlers to know when to break to avoid penalties.
The crowd cheered as the fighters finally broke.
The boxer clinched, and the referee told them to break.
12
cortar
to cut through the surface level of the skin and cause bleeding
Transitive: to break the skin
Example
His fingernails were so sharp that they could break the skin if he scratched too hard.
The knife slipped, and it barely broke the skin on my finger.
The thorn scratched me, but it did n't break the skin.
13
romper
to make a set become incomplete, particularly by taking or destroying one of its parts
Transitive: to break a set
Example
The seller would n't break the bundle of magazines.
She decided to break the collection into smaller groups for display.
Please do n't break the matching furniture set.
14
cambiar
to exchange a sum of money for the same amount but in smaller bills or coins
Transitive: to break a bill
Example
I 'd like to break this $ 20 into fives, please.
Do you have change to break this £ 50 note?
The vending machine only accepts coins; can you break this dollar?
15
abrir el juego
(primarily in the game of billiards, snooker, or pool) to be the first player who strikes at the beginning of a game
Intransitive
Example
To start the match, the player who breaks must aim carefully.
In this round, I 'll let you break and see how the balls scatter.
The first player to break often has an advantage in pool.
16
romper
to rise through the surface of sea, pool, etc.
Transitive: to break the surface of water
Example
The turtle 's head broke the surface momentarily before it dived underwater again.
When the buoyant object broke the surface, it bobbed gently on the water.
The boat 's prow broke the surface of the calm lake.
17
estallar
(of weather conditions) to experience a drastic change, particularly after a period of stability
Intransitive
Example
After days of foggy conditions, the weather broke, revealing clear blue skies.
As the summer turned to autumn, the temperature suddenly broke, and a chill filled the air.
After weeks of scorching heat, the weather finally broke with a refreshing rain.
17.1
romper
(of waves of water) to fall or be dissolved into foam, particularly on the shoreline
Intransitive
Example
The stormy sea was breaking over the stranded boat.
Surfers love the challenge of riding the waves as they break.
At sunset, we enjoyed the sight and sound of waves breaking on the sandy beach.
17.2
abrir, amanecer
(of a day, dawn, or a storm) to begin
Intransitive
Example
The storm broke as we reached the shelter.
Night was breaking, and the stars were fading.
As the day broke, they set out on their journey.
17.3
abrir
(of clouds) to clear out or show an opening
Intransitive
Example
It was a gloomy morning, but by midday, the clouds started to break, giving us hope for a better day.
When the rain stopped, the clouds began to break, promising a nicer afternoon.
We waited patiently for the storm to pass, and eventually, the clouds broke, bringing relief.
18
romper, forzar
to use force in order to open something secure such as a safe
Transitive: to break a safe compartment
Example
They tried to break the old chest but found it more challenging than they expected.
Criminals attempted to break open the bank's safe during the heist.
Breaking into a secure vault requires specialized tools and knowledge.
Break
01
descanso, vacaciones
a rest from the work or activity we usually do
Example
After three hours of driving, they took a break at a rest stop.
I need a short break before I continue working.
My favorite time of day is the evening break on the balcony.
02
fractura, rotura
a fracture in a hard tissue, such as bone
What is a "break"?
A break, in the context of a noun, refers to a fracture or crack in hard tissue, like bone, typically caused by injury or underlying medical conditions. It involves the separation or disruption of the bone structure, often resulting in pain, swelling, and loss of function in the affected area. Healing a break usually requires medical attention, which may involve casting or surgery depending on the seriousness of the injury. Proper treatment and recovery are essential for restoring function and preventing complications in the affected bone.
03
interrupción, pausa
some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity
04
suerte, oportunidad
an unexpected fortunate event, particularly one that leads to success
Example
He got his big break when he was cast in a major movie role.
The new product launch was a break for the struggling company.
Winning the competition was the break she needed to advance her career.
05
ruptura, quiebre
the act of breaking something
06
ruptura, quiebre
a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)
07
ruptura, fallamiento
(geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other
08
interrupción, pausa
an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
09
escapada, destello
a sudden dash
10
saque, break
the opening shot that scatters the balls in billiards or pool
11
fuga
an escape from a place, typically where one is being held against their will
Example
The prisoner planned his break from prison meticulously, waiting for the perfect moment to flee.
The thieves made a daring break from the scene of the crime, disappearing into the night.
The movie protagonist 's break from captivity was a heart-pounding moment in the film.
12
break, falla
any frame in which a bowler fails to make a strike or spare
13
break, quiebre
the act of winning a game while receiving serve, instead of serving
What is a "break"?
In tennis, a break occurs when the player receiving serve wins the game, thus breaking the server's serve. This is considered an advantage for the receiver because the server is expected to win their games more often. A break can shift the momentum of a match and is often seen as a key turning point. For example, if a player breaks their opponent's serve, they gain a crucial point and have the opportunity to serve in the following game. It is an important strategy to gaining control of the match.
14
rotura, quebradura
the occurrence of breaking
15
cambio de voz, quiebre de voz
an abrupt change in the tone or register of the voice (as at puberty or due to emotion)
Example
There was a break in the meeting when everyone stepped out for refreshments.
The documentary included a break to highlight key statistics on screen.
The software experienced a brief break during the update, causing a delay.
17
pausa comercial, interrupción publicitaria
a short pause in a TV or radio program for advertisement
Example
Television networks often schedule commercial breaks during prime-time shows to maximize advertising revenue.
During the break in the program, viewers are typically shown a series of advertisements for products and services.
Streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu offer ad-free viewing experiences, eliminating the need for commercial breaks.
18
recreo, descanso
a period of time during the school day when students are not in class, often used for relaxation, refreshment, or other activities
What is a "break"?
A break is a short pause during the school day, allowing students to rest or recharge. It typically occurs between classes, during lunchtime, or after long periods of study or lessons. Breaks give students a chance to stretch, socialize, or have a snack before resuming their activities. These breaks help maintain focus and energy throughout the day, contributing to better learning and well-being. The duration of breaks can vary based on the school’s timetable.
Example
During the break, students socialize with friends in the cafeteria.
Teachers use the break to prepare materials for their next class.
The school provides outdoor games for students to enjoy during break.
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