to break
- verb
- /breɪk/
- Roger Bannister came along and he broke the four minute barrier.
- break a record
- break the world record
- break new ground
And, and this time round we are trying to break six hours.
- And, and this time round we are trying to break six hours.
Examples
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I've officially gotten the word that we have broken the Beatles' record for most singles in the Billboard Top 10.
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Sacramento increased its population by 81 percent between 1950 and 1960, breaking the half-million mark.
Academic text (2017) -
Now let's try to break some world records.
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Do you think you'll break the record? - I hope so, yeah.
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Well, you know Russell Westbrook just broke the triple double record.
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In 1995, our centennial year, we broke through the one billion dollar barrier in sales.
Academic text (1996) -
Piantanida's stubborn efforts led him to break the highest altitude ever reached by a manned balloon, 123,500 feet.
Academic text (2011) -
Last Saturday, she broke the national record for the 100-meter dash.
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The young pianist broke the world record for the longest continuous playing time.
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After months of training, he finally broke the cycling speed record for his age group.
Synonyms
To pass an important limit or level
To improve something
Do better than anyone before in a sport or activity
Antonyms
Idioms
To overcome barriers that stop women or minority groups getting higher jobs
- Informal
A sudden time when many people lose control and chaos starts
- Informal
To do new or difficult things on purpose to learn and grow
A phrase that says hurt to the body is worse than insults and words do not hurt
Phrasal Verbs
- Informal
End a relationship with someone, for example a romantic or business partner
To stop something suddenly before it is finished, for example a talk or relationship
- Specialized
To make something separate into smaller parts by a chemical process
- Jargon
To speak directly to the audience during a play or film to show the story is not real
- Jargon
To remove communication barriers between teams so they can work together
Take part in activities usually not allowed on the Sabbath, like working or traveling
Compounds
- Specialized
A smaller tax people or companies must pay to encourage certain activities
- Jargon
A quick attack where a team moves fast down the court to score before the defense sets up
How Much
Surface Forms
Etymology
Break comes from an old English word brecan meaning 'to pass through' or 'to burst open'. To break a record is to pass through a limit and go beyond what came before.