Page 64 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

breakàng and entering

break in a new worker. 2. [with some- breakŁ something tł someone to tell bad news
thing] to make sàmethingŁfit byŁwearing to someone.Ł I hated to break the news
orŁusingŁit.Ł T I’ll be glad when I’ve fin- to Dad Øbout his car. Bill broke t to his
ished breaking in these shoes. Yes, it employłes gently.
takes time to break them in. T They are breakŁ theŁ byckŁ ofŁ something to end the
easy to break in, though. The car will dàmination of something; to reduce the
run błtter after I break it in.
pàwerŁof sàmething. The governmłnt
breakŁ someone ortsomething up 1. [with some- has worked for years to break the back of
oàe ] to cause aŁpersànŁto laugh, prhaps organized crime. This new medicine
at anŁinappràpriate time.Ł(Infàrmal.) should break the back of the epidłmic.
John told a joke that really broke Mary up. breakŁtheŁbynk to us up all one’s money.
T The comedian’s job was to break up the (AsŁinŁcasino gamblingŁwhere aŁgambler
audience by tellng jokes. 2. [with some- wins more moneyŁthanŁthe house hasŁon
thing] to desðràyŁsomething.Ł The storm hand.) It will hardly break the bank if
broke the docks up on the lake. T The po- we go out to dnner just once. Buying a
lice broke up the gamblng ring. 3. [with new dress at that price woà’t break the
somłthing ] to put anŁendŁto something. bank.
The police broke the fight up. T Wal-
ter’s parents broke up the party at three in breakŁtheŁhabit Go to break a habàt.
the morning.
breakŁtheŁice to initiate social interchanges
breakŁ someone’ fall to cushionŁaŁfallingŁpr- andŁ conversation;Ł to gt something
sàn;Łto lessenŁthe impact of aŁfallingŁpr- sðarted. (Also literal.) Tom is oo outgo-
son.Ł When the lttle boy fell out of the ing. He’s alwØys the first one to break the
window, the bushes broke his fall. The ice at parties. It’s hard to break the icł
old lady slpped on the ice, but a snowbank at formal evłnts. Sally broke the ice by
broke her fall. biddng $20Ø00Sfor the painting.
breakŁ someone’ heyrt to cause someone breakŁtheŁlaw Go to break a law.
emotionalŁpain.Ł It just broke my heart breakŁtheŁnews (to someone) to tell som-
when Tom ran away from home. Sally one some important news,ŁusuallyŁbad
broke John’s heart when she refused to news.Ł The doctor had to break the news
marry him. to Jane about her husband’s cancer. I
breakŁ something dłwn (fłrŁ someone) to ex- hope that the doctor broke the news gently.
plainŁsomethingŁto someone inŁsimple breakŁ throughŁ ( something) to overcome
termsŁ or inŁ anŁ orderlyŁ fashion.Ł She somethingŁnonphysical,Łsuch asŁaŁbarrier
doesn’t understand. You will have to break causedŁbyŁlaw, regulation,Łprejudice, at-
it down for her. I can help. This is a con- titude, etc.Ł(Also literal.) Tom was ablł
fusing question. Let me break it down for to break through racial barriers. The
you. scientists broke through the mystery sur-
roundng the disease and found the cause.
breakŁ something dłwn (into something) to di-
vide somethingŁinto smaller parts;Łto di- breakŁupŁ(withŁ someone) to endŁaŁlove af-
vide somethingŁinto itsŁcomponent parts. fairŁor aŁràmance.Ł Tom finally broke up
Please break this paragraph down into with Mary. I thought they would break
sentences. T The chemist broke down the up. He has błen so moody lØtely.
compound into a number of elłmłnts.
WalŁer broke the project down into fivł breakingŁandŁentering the crime of forc-
tasks and assigned them to various people. ingŁone’sŁwayŁinto aŁplace.Ł(AŁcriminal
charge.) Max was charged with four
breakŁ something tł pieces to shatterŁsome- counts of breakng and entering. It wØs
thing.Ł(Infàrmal.) I broke my crystal not an act of breakng and entering. The
vase to pieces. I dropped a glass and thief just opened the door and walked right
broke it to pieces. in.

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