Zoeken
to break up
[phrase form: break]
01
uitmaken, verbreken
to end a relationship, typically a romantic or sexual one
Intransitive: to break up | to break up with sb
Example
He decided to break up after she moved away for college.
I immediately broke up with my boyfriend when I found out that he was cheating on me.
She had to break up with him because they wanted different things.
02
verbreken, stukgaan
to become separated into pieces
Intransitive
Example
The glass vase fell off the table and broke up into many sharp shards.
When the earthquake struck, the old bridge began to break up, posing a danger to passing vehicles.
Over time, the waves and erosion caused the rocky cliff to break up into smaller stones.
03
ontbinden, splitsen
to put an end to a gathering and cause people to go in different directions
Transitive: to break up a crowd or group activity
Example
The teacher had to break up the heated argument between the students in the classroom.
As the storm approached, the lifeguard had to break up the beach party for safety reasons.
The police were called to break up the large crowd that had gathered for the unpermitted street event.
04
eindigen, uit elkaar gaan
(of a gathering or meeting) to be concluded, with individuals going their separate ways
Intransitive
Example
The festival will break up with a fireworks display.
The meeting will break up around 4:00 PM.
After the awards ceremony, the audience will break up.
05
verbrokkelen, verbreken
to cause something to be separated into pieces
Transitive: to break up sth
Example
The chef will break the cheese up into grated portions.
Can you break up the branches for easier disposal?
He broke up the ice into smaller cubes for the drinks.
06
oplossen, vermengen in een vloeistof
to make something disappear by mixing it into a liquid
Transitive: to break up a substance
Example
The detergent is designed to help break up the oils and fats in water.
The enzyme helps to break up complex molecules into simpler forms.
Add vinegar to break up the mineral deposits in the coffee machine.
07
tussentreden en scheiden, een vechtpartij stoppen
to intervene and stop a physical or verbal fight between individuals
Transitive: to break up a fight or people fighting
Example
Break the kids up before the disagreement escalates.
The referee broke the players up during the soccer match.
The bouncer had to break up a brawl at the nightclub.
08
breken, verbreken
to break something with force, often producing a loud sound
Transitive: to break up sth
Example
He accidentally broke the vase up while cleaning the shelves.
The strong gust of wind broke up the old tree branch, causing it to fall to the ground.
The explosion broke up the boulders, scattering debris in all directions.
09
uitbarsten in lachen, in lachen uitbarsten
to start laughing really hard
Transitive: to break up sb
Example
The unexpected comment from the child broke everyone up.
The sitcom's clever writing has a way of breaking viewers up.
She breaks me up with her hilarious anecdotes!
10
sluiten, stoppen
(of schools) to close for a holiday
Intransitive
Example
Students look forward to when schools break up for the summer.
Parents plan family vacations around when schools break up.
The decision to break up for a longer holiday was well-received.
11
uit elkaar gaan, breken
(of a connection or association) to end due to the separation of those involved
Intransitive
Example
The business collaboration broke up without any prior warning.
The deal broke up unexpectedly, causing disappointment.
The alliance broke up as conflicting interests became irreconcilable.
12
breken, verbreken
to strike with force using a tool such as a pickaxe, typically on icy or rocky surfaces
Transitive: to break up ice or rock
Example
The workers needed to break the ice up to clear the pathway.
He decided to break the rocks up to gather materials for construction.
She used a hammer to break the concrete block up into smaller pieces.
13
breken, verbrokkelen
(of an iceberg or glacier) to break and release smaller pieces of ice
Intransitive
Example
During the thaw, the icy crust on the mountain began to break up, revealing bare rock.
In certain conditions, frozen lakes can suddenly break up, creating a spectacle of moving ice masses.
The Arctic sea ice tends to break up during the summer months, forming navigable channels.
14
opsplitsen, verdeling maken
to divide a particular thing into several smaller parts or entities
Intransitive
Example
They decided to break up the project into manageable sections.
The task was broken up into simpler steps for clarity.
To improve circulation, it 's important to break up long periods of sitting with short walks or stretches.
15
in elkaar storten, afbreken
to experience extreme stress leading to a nervous breakdown
Intransitive
Example
A healthy work-life balance is vital to avoid breaking up due to stress.
Strong social support can prevent individuals from breaking up in difficult times.
Personal well-being is crucial to avoid breaking up under pressure.
16
onderbreken, verlies van signaal
to have trouble talking or seeing clearly because of a weak or unstable signal
Intransitive
Example
The live stream broke up during the heavy downpour.
Video calls often break up in areas with weak internet connections.
The airplane 's altitude caused the Wi-Fi signal to break up.
17
verlevendigen, variëren
to add something interesting to make an activity or situation less boring
Transitive: to break up a boring activity or situation
Example
The music festival was a great way to break up the long winter months and add some excitement to our lives.
We decided to take a short trip to the beach to break up the long summer months.
They successfully broke up the long conference with engaging speakers.
