the breaks

break

T t

Definitions of the breaks words

verb with object the breaks to smash, split, or divide into parts violently; reduce to pieces or fragments: He broke a vase. 1
verb with object the breaks to infringe, ignore, or act contrary to (a law, rule, promise, etc.): She broke her promise. 1
verb with object the breaks to dissolve or annul (often followed by off): to break off friendly relations with another country. 1
verb with object the breaks to fracture a bone of (some part of the body): He broke his leg. 1
verb with object the breaks to lacerate; wound: to break the skin. 1
verb with object the breaks to destroy or interrupt the regularity, uniformity, continuity, or arrangement of; interrupt: The bleating of a foghorn broke the silence. The troops broke formation. 1

before 900

One of the 4% oldest English words

before 900; Middle English breken, Old English brecan; cognate with Dutch breken, German brechen, Gothic brikan; akin to Latin frangere; see fragile

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 97% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer