vb, broke  , bro*ken  , break*ing vt  1 a  :  to snap into pieces  :  FRACTURE < a bone>   b  :  to fracture the bone of (a bodily part) <the blow broke her arm>  <he broke his leg in the wreck>   c  :  DISLOCATE <ing his neck>   2 a  :  to cause an open wound in  :  RUPTURE < the skin>   b  :  to rupture the surface of and permit flowing out or effusing < an artery>  <he broke several veins during his seizure>  vi  1  :  to fail in health or strength - often used with down <he broke down under the strain of medical school>   2  :  to suffer complete or marked loss of resistance, composure, resolution, morale, or command of a situation - often used with down <the prisoner broke down under interrogation and told the whole story> 
n 1 a  :  an act or action of breaking  :  FRACTURE  b  :  the act of opening a gap in an electrical circuit  2 a  :  a condition produced by breaking <gave her something to relieve the pain of the in her leg>   b  :  a gap in an otherwise continuous electric circuit  3  :  the occurrence of a disease in a person or esp. in a domestic animal supposed to be immune to or to have been completely isolated from exposure to that disease .
 
 
 
Similar sounding terms:  bar·ic  bark  bo·ric  broke 
 
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