- a device for slowing or stopping a vehicle
- to put/slam on the brakes
- the brake pedal
- She stopped with a squeal/screech of the brakes.
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.
Collocations DrivingDrivingHaving a carsee also air brake, disc brake, footbrake, handbrake- have/own/(British English) run a car
- ride a motorcycle/motorbike
- drive/prefer/use an automatic/a manual/(North American English, informal) a stick shift
- have/get your car serviced/fixed/repaired
- buy/sell a used car/(especially British English) a second-hand car
- take/pass/fail a (British English) driving test/(both North American English) driver’s test/road test
- get/obtain/have/lose/carry a/your (British English) driving licence/(North American English) driver’s license
- put on/fasten/(North American English) buckle/wear/undo your seat belt/safety belt
- put/turn/leave the key in the ignition
- start the car/engine
- (British English) change/(North American English) shift/put something into gear
- press/put your foot on the brake pedal/clutch/accelerator
- release the clutch/(especially British English) the handbrake/(both North American English) the emergency brake/the parking brake
- drive/park/reverse the car
- (British English) indicate left/right
- (especially North American English) signal that you are turning left/right
- take/miss (British English) the turning/(especially North American English) the turn
- apply/hit/slam on the brake(s)
- beep/honk/(especially British English) toot/(British English) sound your horn
- a car skids/crashes (into something)/collides (with something)
- swerve to avoid an oncoming car/a pedestrian
- crash/lose control of the car
- have/be in/be killed in/survive a car crash/a car accident/(North American English) a car wreck/a hit-and-run
- be run over/knocked down by a car/bus/truck
- dent/hit (British English) the bonnet/(North American English) the hood
- break/crack/shatter (British English) the windscreen/(North American English) the windshield
- blow/(especially British English) burst/puncture (British English) a tyre/(North American English) a tire
- get/have (British English) a flat tyre/a flat tire/a puncture
- inflate/change/fit/replace/check a tyre/tire
- be caught in/get stuck in/sit in a traffic jam
- cause congestion/tailbacks/traffic jams/gridlock
- experience/face lengthy delays
- beat/avoid the traffic/the rush hour
- break/observe/(North American English) drive the speed limit
- be caught on (British English) a speed camera
- stop somebody for/pull somebody over for/(British English, informal) be done for speeding
- (both informal) run/(British English) jump a red light/the lights
- be arrested for/charged with (British English) drink-driving/(both US English) driving under the influence (DUI)/driving while intoxicated (DWI)
- be banned/(British English) disqualified from driving
Extra ExamplesTopics Transport by car or lorryb2- Is the brake on?
- My brakes are not working properly.
- She slammed on the brakes to try to avoid the dog.
- The car crashed after its brakes failed.
- We heard the screech of brakes, followed by a loud crash.
Definitions on the go
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- brake (on something) a thing that stops something or makes it difficult
- High interest rates are a brake on the economy.
- The need to earn some money put the brakes on my wilder ambitions.
- High interest rates will act as a brake on the economy.
Word Originlate 18th cent.: of unknown origin.
Idioms
See brake in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionaryjam on the brake(s) | jam the brake(s) on
- to operate the brakes on a vehicle suddenly and with force
- The car skidded as he jammed on the brakes.
Check pronunciation:
brake