Break Meaning
Break Definition & Usage
To cause something to split, shatter, or stop working, often unintentionally.
Examples
- "He accidentally broke the glass while washing it."
- "The car broke down on the highway."
- "She broke her arm during the game."
- "The vase broke when it fell off the shelf."
- "I accidentally broke my phone screen."
To interrupt an ongoing action or event, often to take a rest or change direction.
Examples
- "Let's take a break after this meeting."
- "The teacher told the students to break for lunch."
- "She broke the silence with a loud laugh."
- "We need to break the monotony of the routine."
- "The workers broke for tea at 10 a.m."
To escape from confinement, a relationship, or a difficult situation.
Examples
- "The prisoner managed to break free from his cell."
- "She wanted to break away from the pressures of work."
- "They decided to break up after five years of dating."
- "The bird broke out of the cage and flew away."
- "I need a break from all the stress."
Cultural Context
The word 'break' has roots in Old English 'brecan', meaning to shatter or disrupt. Over time, it evolved to encompass both physical and metaphorical disruptions, such as breaking away from routines or relationships.
The Great Escape
Story
The Great Escape
James had always felt trapped in the routine of his daily life. Work, gym, sleep, repeat. One day, however, while running errands, he found himself on the edge of a break — both literally and metaphorically. As he passed by a busy intersection, a car suddenly broke down in front of him. He stopped to help, but the driver, a woman with a tired look, waved him off and said, 'I’m fine. You go. I need a break from this mess.' At first, he didn’t understand, but then he realized — they were both breaking from the monotony. That afternoon, James took a long break. He didn’t check his phone, he didn’t look at his emails, he simply walked around the park, feeling the wind and taking deep breaths. The stress he had been carrying for months began to break away, piece by piece. Later, he met up with his friend Maria. She’d just gotten out of a long relationship. 'I had to break up with him,' she said. 'It wasn’t easy, but I couldn’t keep pretending.' James nodded. 'Sometimes, you just have to break away, no matter how hard it is.' The day ended with both of them feeling lighter, as if the breaks they had taken had healed parts of them they didn’t even realize were broken.
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