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Definition of break noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

break

noun
 
 
/breɪk/
 
/breɪk/
Idioms
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    short stop

  1.  
     [countable] a short period of time when you stop what you are doing and rest, eat, etc.
    • She was on her lunch break.
    • a coffee/tea break
    • Let's take a break.
    • break for something a break for lunch
    • a bathroom break (= a short period when somebody stops what they are doing to use the toilet)
    • I worked all day without a break.
    see also comfort break
    Homophones brake | breakbrake   break
     
    /breɪk/
     
    /breɪk/
    • brake noun
      • He accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake.
    • brake verb
      • There wasn't even time for the driver to brake.
    • break verb
      • Break the biscuits into small pieces.
    • break noun
      • I really need a break from this.
    Synonyms restrestbreak ▪ respite ▪ time out ▪ breathing spaceThese are all words for a short period of time spent relaxing.rest a period of relaxing, sleeping or doing nothing after a period of activity:
    • We stopped for a well-earned rest.
    break a short period of time when you stop what you are doing and rest or eat:
    • Let’s take a break.
    In British English break is a period of time between lessons at school. The North American English word is recess.    respite a short break from something difficult or unpleasant:
    • The drug brought a brief respite from the pain.
    time out (especially North American English, informal) time for resting or relaxing away from your usual work or studies:
    • Take time out to relax by the pool.
    breathing space a short rest in the middle of a period of mental or physical effort:
    • This delay gives the party a breathing space in which to sort out its policies.
    Patterns
    • (a) rest/​break/​respite/​time out from something
    • to have/​take (a) rest/​break/​time out
    • to give somebody (a) rest/​break/​respite/​breathing space
    Extra Examples
    • I had a word with John during the break.
    • We have a 15-minute break in the morning.
    • We'll take a break now and resume in an hour.
    Topics Working lifea1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • little
    • quick
    • short
    • …
    verb + break
    • have
    • take
    • need
    • …
    break + noun
    • time
    preposition
    • at break
    • during (a/​the) break
    • without a break
    • …
    See full entry
  2. (also break time)
     (both British English)
    (North American English recess)
    [uncountable] a period of time between lessons at school
    • Come and see me at break.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • little
    • quick
    • short
    • …
    verb + break
    • have
    • take
    • need
    • …
    break + noun
    • time
    preposition
    • at break
    • during (a/​the) break
    • without a break
    • …
    See full entry
  3.  
     [countable] a period of time when something stops before starting again
    • Employees can take a career break of up to one year.
    • break in something a break in my daily routine
    • break from something He is having a break from his successful television show.
    • break from doing something I need a break from caring for the children.
    • the summer/winter break
    • (especially British English) the Christmas/Easter break (= the period at Christmas/Easter when most people do not work)
    Extra Examples
    • I think we've earned a break now, don't you?
    • The team have been enjoyng a break in Spain.
    • Have you got any plans for the Easter break?
    see also spring break
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • little
    • quick
    • short
    • …
    verb + break
    • have
    • take
    • need
    • …
    break + noun
    • time
    preposition
    • at break
    • during (a/​the) break
    • without a break
    • …
    See full entry
  4.  
    (also commercial break)
    [countable] a short period of time when a television or radio show stops for advertisements
    • More news after the break.
    • Most viewers tend to skip through the ad breaks.
    Topics TV, radio and newsb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • clean
    • complete
    • sharp
    • …
    verb + break
    • make
    preposition
    • break from
    • break in
    • break with
    • …
    See full entry
    5.

    holiday/vacation

  5.  
     [countable] a short holiday
    • We had a weekend break in New York.
    • a well-earned break
    • a two/three-night break
    Wordfinder
    Extra Examples
    • Choose from our range of city breaks.
    • I'd like to take her on a mini-break.
    • Spend the weekend at a spa for a really relaxing break.
    Topics Holidaysb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • little
    • quick
    • short
    • …
    verb + break
    • have
    • take
    • need
    • …
    break + noun
    • time
    preposition
    • at break
    • during (a/​the) break
    • without a break
    • …
    See full entry
    6.

    change in situation

  6. [singular] the moment when a situation or a relationship that has existed for a time changes, ends or is interrupted
    • I wanted to leave but was nervous about making the break.
    • break with somebody/something He needed to make a complete break with the past.
    • a break with tradition (= a change from what is accepted, in something such as art, behaviour, etc.)
    • break in something a break in the weather (= a change from one type of weather to a different one)
    • a break in diplomatic relations
    • break from something This event represents a real break from tradition.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • clean
    • complete
    • sharp
    • …
    verb + break
    • make
    preposition
    • break from
    • break in
    • break with
    • …
    See full entry
    7.

    opening/space

  7. [countable] break (in something) a space or an opening between two or more things
    • We could see the moon through a break in the clouds.
    • Wait for a break in the traffic before crossing the road.
    • The track bends left through a break in the hedge.
    8.

    opportunity

  8. [countable] (informal) an opportunity to do something, usually to get something that you want or to achieve success
    • I got my lucky break when I won a ‘Young Journalist of the Year’ competition.
    • We've had a few bad breaks (= pieces of bad luck) along the way.
    • If you just give me a break, you won’t regret it.
    • She's the director who gave him his first big break.
    • It's often difficult for talented newcomers to get the break they deserve.
    Topics Successc2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • big
    • lucky
    verb + break
    • get
    • give somebody
    See full entry
    9.

    of bone

  9. [countable] a place where something, especially a bone in your body, has broken
    • The X-ray showed there was no break in his leg.
    Topics Health problemsb1

    10. in tennis

  10. (also break of serve)
     [countable] a win in a game in which your opponent is serving
    • It was her second break in the set.
    see also break pointTopics Sports: ball and racket sportsc2

    11. in billiards/snooker

  11. [countable] a series of successful shots by one player; the number of points scored in a series of successful shots
    • He's put together a magnificent break.
    • a 147 break (= the highest possible break in snooker)
    • The champion began with breaks of 74 and 58.
    Topics Sports: other sportsc2
    12. see also fast break
    Word OriginOld English brecan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch breken and German brechen, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin frangere ‘to break’.
Idioms
break of day/dawn
  1. (literary) the moment in the early hours of the morning when it begins to get light
a clean break
  1. a complete end to any connection with a person, an organization, a way of life, etc.
    • She wanted to make a clean break with the past.
  2. a break in a bone in one place
give somebody a break
  1. (informal) to give somebody a chance; to not judge somebody too severely
    • Give the lad a break—it's only his second day on the job.
give me a break!
  1. (informal) used when somebody wants somebody else to stop doing or saying something that is annoying, or to stop saying something that is not true
make a break for something/for it
  1. to run towards something in order to try and escape
    • He suddenly leapt up and made a break for the door.
    • They decided to make a break for it (= to try and escape) that night.
See break in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee break in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: break

Nearby words

given
adjective
 
 
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OPAL spoken words
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