[break new ground]{v. phr.} 1. To start a new activity previouslyneglected by others; do pioneering work. •/Albert Einstein broke new groundwith his theory of relativity./ 2. To begin something never done before.•/The school broke new ground with reading lessons that taught students toguess the meaning of new words./

[break off]{v.} 1. To stop suddenly. •/The speaker was interruptedso often that he broke off and sat down./ •/When Bob came in, Jean brokeoff her talk with Linda and talked to Bob./ 2. {informal} To end afriendship or love. •/I hear that Tom and Alice have broken off./ •/Shebroke off with her best friend./

[break one’s balls]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {vulgar},{avoidable} To do something with maximum effort; to do something verydifficult or taxing •/I’ve been breaking my balls to buy you this new colorTV set and you aren’t the least bit appreciative!/ Compare: BREAK ONE’S NECK.

[break one’s heart]{v. phr.} To discourage greatly; make very sad orhopeless. •/His son’s disgrace broke his heart./ •/When Mr. White losteverything he had worked so hard for, it broke his heart./

[break one’s neck]{v. phr.}, {slang} To do all you possibly can;try your hardest. — Usually used with a limiting adverb or negative. •/Johnnearly broke his neck trying not to be late to school./ •/Mother asked Maryto go to the store when she was free, but not to break her neck over it./

[break one’s word]{v. phr.} To renege on a promise. •/When Jakebroke his word that he would marry Sarah, she became very depressed./

[break out]{v.} 1. To begin showing a rash or other skin disorder. — Often used with "with". •/He broke out with scarlet fever./ 2. To speak oract suddenly and violently. •/He broke out laughing./ •/She broke out,"That is not so!"/ 3. To begin and become noticeable. •/Fire broke outafter the earthquake./ •/War broke out in 1812./ Compare: FLARE UP. 4.{informal} To bring out; open and show. •/When word of the victory came,people began breaking out their flags./ •/When Mr. Carson’s first son wasborn, he broke out the cigars he had been saving./

[break the ice]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To conquer the firstdifficulties in starting a conversation, getting a party going, or making anacquaintance. •/To break the ice Ted spoke of his interest in mountainclimbing, and they soon had a conversation going./ •/Some people use anunusual thing, such as an unusual piece of jewelry, to break the ice./ 2. Tobe the first person or team to score in a game. •/The Wolves broke the icewith a touchdown./

[break the record]{v. phr.} To set or to establish a new mark orrecord. •/Algernon broke the record in both the pentathlon and the decathlonand took home two gold medals from the Olympics./

[break through]{v.} To be successful after overcoming a difficulty orbar to success. •/Dr. Salk failed many times but he finally broke through tofind a successful polio vaccine./ •/Jim studied very hard this semester incollege, and he finally broke through onto the Dean’s List for the firsttime./

[breakthrough]{n.} A point of sudden success after a long process ofexperimentation, trial and error. •/The U.S. Space Program experienced amajor breakthrough when Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon in June of1969./

[break up]{v. phr.} To end a romantic relationship, a marriage, or abusiness partnership. •/Tom and Jane broke up because Tom played so much golfthat he had no time for her./

[break up]{v.} 1. To break into pieces. •/The workmen broke up thepavement to dig up the pipes under it./ •/River ice breaks up in thespring./ 2. {informal} To lose or destroy spirit or self-control. — Usually used in the passive. •/Mrs. Lawrence was all broken up after herdaughter’s death, and did not go out of the house for two months./ Compare:CRACK UP, GO TO PIECES. 3. To come or to put to an end, especially byseparation; separate. •/Some men kept interrupting the speakers, and finallybroke up the meeting./ •/The party broke up at midnight./ — Often usedin the informal phrase "break it up". •/The boys were fighting, and a passingpoliceman ordered them to break it up./ Compare: CUT OUT(1). 4.{informal} To stop being friends. •/Mary and June were good friends anddid everything together, but then they had a quarrel and broke up/ Compare:BREAK OFF.

[break-up]{n.} The end of a relationship, personal or commercial.•/The break-up finally occurred when Smith and Brown decided to sue eachother for embezzlement./

[break with]{v.} To separate yourself from; end membership in; stopfriendly association with. •/He broke with the Democratic party on thequestion of civil rights./ •/He had broken with some friends who hadchanged in their ideas./

[breast] See: MAKE A CLEAN BREAST OF.

[breath] See: CATCH ONE’S BREATH, DRAW A LONG BREATH or TAKE A LONG BREATH,HOLD ONE’S BREATH, IN THE SAME BREATH, OUT OF BREATH, SAVE ONE’S BREATH, SECONDWIND also SECOND BREATH, TAKE ONE’S BREATH AWAY, UNDER ONE’S BREATH, WASTEONE’S BREATH.

[breathe down one’s neck]{v. phr.}, {informal} To follow closely;threaten from behind; watch every action. •/Too many creditors were breathingdown his neck./ •/The carpenter didn’t like to work for Mr. Jones, who wasalways breathing down his neck./

[breathe easily] or [breathe freely] {v.} To have relief fromdifficulty or worry; relax; feel that trouble is gone; stop worrying. •/Nowthat the big bills were paid, he breathed more easily./ •/His mother didn’tbreathe easily until he got home that night./

[breathe one’s last]{v. phr.} To die. •/The wounded soldier fellback on the ground and breathed his last./

[bred in the bone]{adj. phr.} Belonging to your nature or character,especially from early teaching or long habit; natural from belief or habit;believing deeply. •/The Willett children’s cleanness is bred in the none./Often used, with hyphens before the noun. •/Joe is a bred-in-the-bonehorseman; he has been riding since he was six./ Contrast: SKIN-DEEP.

[breeches] See: TOO BIG FOR ONE’S BREECHES.

[breeze] See: SHOOT THE BREEZE or BAT THE BREEZE or FAN THE BREEZE, WIN INA WALK or WIN IN A BREEZE.

[breeze in]{v. phr.}, {slang}, {informal} To walk into a placecasually (like a soft blowing wind). •/Betsie breezed in and sat down at thebar./

[brew] See: HOME BREW.

[brick] See: MAKE BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW.

[brick wall] See: STONE WALL.

[bridge] See: BURN ONE’S BRIDGES, CROSS A BRIDGE BEFORE ONE COMES TO IT,WATER OVER THE DAM or WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.

[brief] See: HOLD A BRIEF FOR, IN BRIEF or IN SHORT or IN A WORD.

[bright and early]{adj. phr.} Prompt and alert; on time and ready;cheerful and on time or before time. •/He came down bright and early tobreakfast./ •/She arrived bright and early for the appointment./

[bring about]{v.} To cause; produce; lead to. •/The war had broughtabout great changes in living./ •/Drink brought about his downfall./

[bring around] or [bring round] {v.} 1. {informal} To restoreto health or consciousness cure. •/He was quite ill, but good nursing broughthim around./ Compare: BRING TO(1). 2. To cause a change in thinking;persuade; convince; make willing. •/After a good deal of discussion hebrought her round to his way of thinking./