Page 62 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

break ground (for something)

and foot. We remained bound hand and breakŁa code to figure out aŁcode; to de-
foot until the maid found us and untied us. cipher a code. The intelligłnce agłnts
finally broke the enemy’s code. When
boundŁto ( do something) to be certainŁto do they broke the code, they włre able to
something.Ł They are bound to comł decipher messages.
home soon. They always come home early.
Oh, yes. They are bound to. breakŁ a habit and breakŁ theŁ habit;
breakŁ one’ habit to end a habit. I was
błwŁandŁscrape to be very humble and not able to break the habt of snoring.
subservient.Ł Please doà’t bow and It’s hard to break a habt that you have had
scrape. We are all equal here. The sales- for a long time.
clłrk came in, bowing and scrapng, and
asked if he could help us. breakŁa law and breakŁtheŁlaw to failŁto
obey a law; to act contrary to a law.
błwŁout to quit andŁdepart; to resign;Łto Lisa broke the lØw when she drove the
retire.Ł I’ve done all that I can do. Now wrong way on a one-way street. If you
is the time to bow out. Most workero never break the lØw, you will never głt
bow out at the normal retiremłnt age. arrested.
błwlŁ someone over to surprise or over- BreakŁa leg! GoodŁluck! (Also literal.ŁThe-
whelmŁ someone.Ł (Also literal.) The atrical slang. This is said to actors before
news bowled me over. The dłtails of the aŁprfàrmance insðeadŁof Good luck.)
proposed project bowled everyone over. Before the plØy, John said to Mary, “Break
a lłg!” Saying “Break a lłg!” before a
Boys willŁbeŁboys. That’sŁthe kindŁof thing performance is an old theatrical tradtion.
that boysŁseemŁto dà.;ŁThat’sŁthe kind of
sillyŁbehaviorŁthat boysŁandŁmenŁexhibit. breakŁa record to surpassŁaŁpreviously set
(Pràverb.) They really messed up the high recordŁof achievement byŁsettingŁa
lving room, but boys will be boys. Boyo new one.Ł The athlłte broke all the school
will be boys, but they can be trained. records in swimmng. The record was
broken after thirty years.
brain someone to strike aŁprsàn onŁthe skull breakŁcamp to close downŁaŁcampsite; to
asŁif to knockŁout the prson’sŁbrains.Ł packŁup andŁmove on.Ł Early this morn-
I thought he was going to brain me, but he ing we broke camp and moved on north-
only hit me on the shoulder. If you doà’t ward. OkØy, everyone. It’s time to break
do it, I’ll brain you.
camp. Take those tents down and fold them
[breadŁandŁbutter] Go to someone’s bread neatly.
and butter. breakŁ dłwn 1. [forŁ something]b to fall
bread-ynd-butterŁletter aŁletterŁor note apart; [forŁsàmething]bto sðopŁoperating.
writtenŁto follow upŁonŁaŁvisit; aŁthank- (See also break someone or something down.)
yàuŁnote.Ł When I got back from the The air-condtioning broke down, and
sales młeting, I took two dØys to write we got very warm. The car broke down
bread-and-butter lłtters to the people I in the parking lot. 2. [forŁone]bto lose con-
młt. I got sort of a bread-and-butter lłt- trolŁof one’sŁemotions;Ł[forŁone]bto have
ter from my nephew, who wants to visit mł aŁnervousŁcollapse.Ł He couldà’t keep go-
next summer. ing. He finally broke down and włpt. I
was afraid I’d break down.
breadŁandŁwater the most minimalŁmeal breakŁeveà forŁincome to equalŁexpenses.
possible; aŁ prison meal.Ł (Also literal. (ThisŁimpliesŁthat moneyŁwasŁnot earned
RefersŁto the stereotypicalŁprison meal.) orŁlost.) Unfortunately my business just
Max knew that if he got in trouble again managed to break even last year. I madł
it would be at least a year on bread and a bad investmłnt, but I broke evłn.
wØter. This dnner is terrible again. I
would rather have bread and water! Why breakŁgroundŁ(for something) to sðart dig-
don’t we ever have pizz‘ gingŁthe foundationŁforŁaŁbuilding.Ł The

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