|
(brk), v. t.[imp.broke (brk), (Obs. Brake); p. p.Broken (br"k'n), (Obs. Broke); p. pr. & vb. n.Breaking.] [OE. breken, AS. brecan; akin to OS. brekan, D. breken, OHG. brehhan, G. brechen, Icel. braka to creak, Sw. braka, brkka to crack, Dan. brkke to break, Goth. brikan to break, L. frangere. Cf. Bray to pound, Breach, Fragile.] 1. To strain apart; to sever by fracture; to divide with violence; as, to break a rope or chain; to break a seal; to break an axle; to break rocks or coal; to break a lock. Shak. 2. To lay open as by breaking; to divide; as, to break a package of goods. 3. To lay open, as a purpose; to disclose, divulge, or communicate. Katharine, break thy mind to me. Shak. 4. To infringe or violate, as an obligation, law, or promise. Out, out, hyena! these are thy wonted arts . . . To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray. Milton 5. To interrupt; to destroy the continuity of; to dissolve or terminate; as, to break silence; Break (brk), v. i. 1. To come apart or divide into two or more pieces, usually with suddenness and violence; to part; to burst asunder. 2. To open spontaneously, or by pressure from within, as a bubble, a tumor, a seed vessel, a bag. Else the bottle break, and the wine runneth out. Matt. ix. 17. 3. To burst forth; to make its way; to come to view; to appear; to dawn. The day begins to break, and night is fled. Shak. And from the turf a fountain broke, and gurgled at our feet. Wordsworth. 4. To burst forth violently, as a storm. The clouds are still above; and, while I speak, A second deluge o'er our head may break. Dryden. 5. To open up; to be scattered; to be dissipated; as, the clouds are breaking. At length the darkness begins to break. Macaulay. 6. To become weakened in constitution or faculties; to lose health or strength. See how the dean begins to break; Poor gentleman! he droops apace. Swift. 7. To be crushed, or overwhelmed with sorrow or grief; as, my heart is breaking. 8. To fall in Break (), n.[See Break, v. t., and cf. Brake (the instrument), Breach, Brack a crack.] 1. An opening made by fracture or disruption. 2. An interruption of continuity; change of direction; as, a break in a wall; a break in the deck of a ship. Specifically: (a) (Arch.) A projection or recess from the face of a building. (b) (Elec.) An opening or displacement in the circuit, interrupting the electrical current. 3. An interruption; a pause; as, a break in friendship; a break in the conversation. 4. An interruption in continuity in writing or printing, as where there is an omission, an unfilled line, etc. All modern trash is Set forth with numerous breaks and dashes. Swift. 5. The first appearing, as of light in the morning; the dawn; as, the break of day; the break of dawn. 6. A large four-wheeled carriage, having a straight body and calash top, with the driver's seat in front and the footman's behind. 7. A device for checking motion, or for measuring friction. See Brake, n. 9 スポンサード リンク
|