| English > English |
|
| break down |
| 1. v. (intransitive) To fail, to cease to function. |
|
| I am afraid my computer will break down if I try to run it at too high a speed. |
|
| Talks broke down between Prime Minister John Doe and the opposition party. |
|
| Relations broke down between Greece and Turkey. |
|
| 2. v. (ergative, figuratively) To render or to become unstable due to stress, to collapse physically or mentally. |
|
| She is back to work now, after she broke down the other day. |
|
| 3. v. (ergative, figuratively) To render or to become weak and ineffective. |
|
| His authority and influence over his coordinates broke down gradually. |
|
| 4. v. To (cause to) decay, to decompose. |
|
| Leaves and grass will break down into compost faster if you keep them moist. |
|
| 5. v. (ergative, figuratively) To divide into parts to give more details, to provide a more indepth analysis of. |
|
| If you don't understand, ask him to break down the numbers for you. |
|
| 6. v. To digest. |
|
| His stomach took a while to break down his food. |
|
| 7. n. misspelling of breakdown |
|
| Analysis |
|
| break |
| 1. v. (transitive, intransitive) To separate into two or more pieces, to fracture or crack, by a process that cannot easily be reversed for reassembly. |
|
| If the vase falls to the floor, it might break. |
|
| In order to tend to the accident victim, he will break the window of the car. |
|
| 2. v. (transitive, intransitive) To crack or fracture (bone) under a physical strain. |
|
| His ribs broke under the weight of the rocks piled on his chest. |
|
| down |
| 1. n. (especially southern England) A hill, especially a chalk hill; rolling grassland |
|
| We went for a walk over the downs. |
|
| The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England. |
|
| 2. n. (usually plural) A field, especially one used for horse racing. |
|
| 3. n. (mostly) A tract of poor, sandy, undulating or hilly land near the sea, covered with fine turf which serves chiefly for the grazing of sheep. |
|
