break

/bɹeɪk/

#1,592 of the most-used English words

noun

1. An instance of breaking something into two or more pieces.
   "The femur has a clean break and so should heal easily."
2. A physical space that opens up in something or between two things.
   "He waited minutes for a break in the traffic to cross the highway."
3. A rest or pause, usually from work.
   "Let’s take a five-minute break."
4. A time for students to talk or play.

Similar: crack of dawn, split, breach, gap, space, time-out

verb

1. To separate into two or more pieces, to fracture or crack, by a process that cannot easily be reversed for reassembly.
   "If the vase falls to the floor, it might break."
2. To divide (something, often money) into smaller units.
   "Can you break a hundred-dollar bill for me?"
3. To cause (a person or animal) to lose spirit or will; to crush the spirits of.
   "Her child's death broke Angela."
4. To be crushed, or overwhelmed with sorrow or grief.
   "My heart is breaking."

Similar: crack, fracture, burst, bust, shatter, shear

noun

1. A section of extended repetition of the percussion break to a song, created by a hip-hop DJ as rhythmic dance music.