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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.
Ten cuidado de no romper el vidrio cuando laves los platos.
The storm 's strong winds can break branches off the trees.
Los fuertes vientos de la tormenta pueden romper ramas de los árboles.
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.
Las patas de la silla no pudieron soportar su peso y se rompieron.
The plate slipped from her grasp and broke into shards.
El plato se le escapó de las manos y se quebró en fragmentos.
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.
Los prisioneros idearon un plan ingenioso para fugarse de la prisión de máxima seguridad.
She used her strength to break loose from the kidnapper's grip.
Ella usó su fuerza para escaparse del agarre del secuestrador.
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.
El esquiador tuvo una mala caída y fracturó varias costillas.
He had broken his arm at the elbow.
Se había fracturado el brazo en el codo.
04
violar
to fail to obey the law
Transitive: to break a law
Example
She was caught breaking the contract by sharing confidential information.
Ella fue sorprendida infringiendo el contrato al compartir información confidencial.
The company will face consequences if they break environmental regulations.
La empresa enfrentará consecuencias si infringe las regulaciones ambientales.
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.
Lo siento, pero la licuadora se ha roto y necesitamos conseguir un reemplazo.
I ca n't play my favorite video game because the console broke.
No puedo jugar mi videojuego favorito porque la consola se rompió.
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.
La interrupción interrumpió su tren de pensamiento y perdió su lugar en la presentación.
The loud music next door broke my concentration while I was studying.
La música alta de al lado interrumpió mi concentración mientras estudiaba.
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.
La conferencia hará una pausa para una sesión de networking en la tarde.
We 'll break briefly and then get back to work.
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.
Sus rápidos reflejos le permitieron girar y retorcerse, tratando de amortiguar su caída mientras caía de la escalera.
Grab onto something to break your fall if you slip on the wet floor.
Agárrate de algo para mitigar tu caída si resbalas en el suelo mojado.
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.
Su hazaña increíble en el salto de altura podría permanecer como un récord que quizás nunca sea superado.
Their teamwork and dedication to the project broke all previous records of success.
Su trabajo en equipo y dedicación al proyecto superaron todos los récords de éxito anteriores.
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
Sus amigos han intentado todo para romper su hábito excesivo de jugar.
It 's challenging to break the habit of biting your nails.
Es un reto romper el hábito de morderse las uñas.
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.
La estrategia de la empresa para romper la huelga resultó en una prolongada disputa laboral.
They brought in temporary workers to break the strike and keep production going.
Trajeron trabajadores temporales para romper la huelga y mantener la producción en marcha.
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.
El interrogatorio implacable del detective finalmente quebró al sospechoso.
The aim of discipline in the military is to build character, not to break soldiers.
El objetivo de la disciplina en el ejército es construir carácter, no romper a los soldados.
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.
La traición de su amigo más cercano casi rompió su confianza en las personas.
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.
Después de que le cambió la voz, se unió a la sección de bajos del coro.
After a few months, his voice began to break, and he no longer sounded like a child.
Después de unos meses, su voz comenzó a cambiar, y ya no sonaba como un niño.
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.
Su voz se quebró mientras describía el accidente.
During the emotional farewell, his voice broke as he said goodbye.
Durante la emotiva despedida, su voz se quebró al decir adiós.
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.
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.
La noticia de los resultados de la elección se rompió en la televisión en vivo.
The scandal finally broke after months of rumors.
El escándalo finalmente se rompió tras meses de rumores.
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.
No quiero hacerlo. Decidamos quién va a dar la noticia.
They decided to break the news to their parents together.
Decidieron dar la noticia a sus padres juntos.
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.
Es importante que los luchadores sepan cuándo soltar para evitar penalizaciones.
The crowd cheered as the fighters finally broke.
La multitud vitoreó cuando los luchadores finalmente se soltaron.
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.
Sus uñas eran tan afiladas que podían cortar la piel si rasguñaba demasiado fuerte.
The knife slipped, and it barely broke the skin on my finger.
El cuchillo se deslizó y apenas cortó la piel de mi dedo.
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.
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.
Me gustaría cambiar este billete de $20 por billetes de cinco, por favor.
Do you have change to break this £ 50 note?
¿Tiene cambio para desglosar este billete de £50?
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.
Para iniciar el partido, el jugador que rompe debe apuntar con cuidado.
In this round, I 'll let you break and see how the balls scatter.
En esta ronda, te dejaré romper e ver cómo se dispersan las bolas.
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.
La cabeza de la tortuga emergió momentáneamente antes de sumergirse nuevamente en el agua.
When the buoyant object broke the surface, it bobbed gently on the water.
Cuando el objeto flotante emergió a la superficie, se meció suavemente en el agua.
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.
Después de días de condiciones de niebla, el clima cambió, revelando cielos azules y claros.
As the summer turned to autumn, the temperature suddenly broke, and a chill filled the air.
A medida que el verano se convirtió en otoño, la temperatura de repente cambió, y un frío llenó el aire.
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.
El mar tempestuoso estaba rompiendo sobre el barco varado.
Surfers love the challenge of riding the waves as they break.
A los surfistas les encanta el desafío de montar las olas cuando se rompen.
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.
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.
Era una mañana sombría, pero al mediodía, las nubes empezaron a despejarse, dándonos esperanza de un mejor día.
When the rain stopped, the clouds began to break, promising a nicer afternoon.
Cuando la lluvia paró, las nubes empezaron a despejarse, prometiendo una tarde más bonita.
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.
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.
Después de tres horas de conducción, hicieron una pausa en una área de descanso.
I need a short break before I continue working.
Necesito una pausa corta antes de continuar trabajando.
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.
Él tuvo su gran oportunidad cuando fue seleccionado para un papel importante en una película.
The new product launch was a break for the struggling company.
El lanzamiento del nuevo producto fue una oportunidad para la empresa en dificultades.
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.
El prisionero planeó su fuga de la prisión meticulosamente, esperando el momento perfecto para huir.
The thieves made a daring break from the scene of the crime, disappearing into the night.
Los ladrones hicieron una audaz fuga de la escena del crimen, desapareciendo en la noche.
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.
Hubo una pausa en la reunión cuando todos salieron a por refrescos.
The documentary included a break to highlight key statistics on screen.
El documental incluyó una pausa para destacar estadísticas clave en la pantalla.
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.
Las cadenas de televisión a menudo programan interrupciones publicitarias durante los programas en horario estelar para maximizar los ingresos por publicidad.
During the break in the program, viewers are typically shown a series of advertisements for products and services.
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.
Palabras Cercanas
