Break

brāk, v.t. to part by force: to shatter: to crush: to tame, or wear out: to violate, or outrage, as a law, a bargain, .: to check by intercepting, as a fall: to interrupt, as silence, or the monotony of anything, or in 'to break one off a habit:' to make bankrupt: to degrade from rank, as an officer.— v.i. to part in two: to burst forth: to open or appear, as the morning: to become bankrupt: to crack or give way, as the voice: to di olve, as frost: to collapse in foam, as a wave: to fall out, as with a friend:— pa.t. brōke; pa.p. brōk′en. — n. the state of being broken: an opening: a pause or interruption: ( billiards ) a consecutive series of succe ful strokes, also the number of points attained by such: the dawn.— ns. Break′age , the action of breaking, or its consequences: an interruption; Break′-down , a dance, vigorous rather than graceful, in which much noise is made by the feet of the one performer; Break′er , a wave broken on rocks or the shore.— adj. Break′-neck , likely to cause a broken neck.— ns. Break′-prom′ise , Break′-vow , one who makes a practice of breaking his promise or vow; Break′water , a barrier to break the force of the waves.— Break a jest , to utter a jest unexpectedly; Break a lance with , to enter into a contest with a rival; Break away , to go away abruptly, as from prison, .: to be scattered, as clouds after a storm; Break bulk , to open the hold and take out a portion of the cargo; Break cover , to burst forth from concealment, as a fox; Break down , to crush down or level: to collapse, to fail completely; Break forth , to burst out, i ue; Break ground , to commence digging or excavation: to begin; Break in , to train to labour, as a horse; Break in , in upon , or into , to enter violently or unexpectedly, to interpose abruptly in a conversation, .; Break loose , to extricate one's self forcibly: to break through all restraint; Break news , to make anything known, esp. of bad news, with caution and delicacy; Break off , to separate by breaking, put an end to; Break out , to appear suddenly: to break through all restraint; Break sheer (said of a ship riding at anchor), to be forced by wind or tide out of a position clear of the anchor; Break the heart , to destroy with grief; Break the ice ( fig. ), to get through first difficulties: Break up , to break open; Break upon the wheel , to punish by stretching a criminal on a wheel and breaking his bones; Break wind , to void wind from the stomach; Break with , to fail out, as friends may do. [A.S. brecan ; Ger. brechen .]