Meaning of breakdown | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A failure, particularly one which is mechanical in nature
2. A failure, particularly one which is mechanical in nature.
   countable
3. The sudden (and usually damaging) transition of an electrical insulator to a conductor when subjected to a sufficiently strong voltage, caused by the partial or complete ionization of the insulator; an instance of this; also, the minimum voltage at which this occurs
4. The sudden (and usually damaging) transition of an electrical insulator to a conductor when subjected to a sufficiently strong voltage, caused by the partial or complete ionization of the insulator; (countable) an instance of this; also, the minimum voltage at which this occurs.
   uncountable
5. (negative unbreakable) likely to break. breakable toys. breekbaar قابل للكسر чуплив quebrável rozbitný, křehký zerbrechlich skrøbelig; sart εύθραυστοςfrágil purunev شکستنی särkyvä fragileשביר आसानी से टूट जाने वाली चीज lomljiv törékeny mudah rusak brjótanlegur, brothættur fragile こわれ易い 깨지기 쉬운 dūžtantis plīstošs; trausls mudah pecah breekbaarskrøpelig, som lett går i stykker łamliwy, łatwo tłukący się د ماتیدو وړ quebrável fragil хрупкий krehký lomljiv lomljiv brytbar, bräcklig เปราะบาง; แตกง่...
   negative
6. Something, such as a vehicle, that has experienced a mechanical failure
7. Something, such as a vehicle, that has experienced a mechanical failure.
   countable
8. (usually in plural) something likely to break. breekbaar شيء قابل للأنكسار чупливи неща frágil křehké zboží der zerbrechliche Gegenstand skrøbelig ting εύθραυστο αντικείμενο objeto frágil habras ese جنس شکستنی särkyvä esine objet fragile דָבַר שָׁביר कोई चीज जो टूटने वाली हो koji se može lako razbiti törékeny áru(k) sesuatu yang mudah pecah brothættur oggetto fragile こわれもの 깨지기 쉬운 것 dūžtantys daiktai viegli plīstošas lietas barang mudah pecah iets breekbaars skrøpelig gjenstand rzeczy łatwo tł...
   usually in plural
9. Separation of a thing into components; decomposition, fragmentation; an instance of this. Detailed categorization, or itemization or listing, of the components of a thing; an instance of this
10. Separation of a thing into components; decomposition, fragmentation; (countable) an instance of this.
    uncountable
11. Detailed categorization, or itemization or listing, of the components of a thing; (countable) an instance of this.
    uncountable
12. the act of breaking, or its result(s). breek, brekasie, breekskade كَسْـر счупване quebra rozbití, (z)lom, rozbité věci der Bruchschaden beskadigelse; brud σπάσιμο, σπασμένα rotura murd(mine) شکستگی ؛ خسارات شکستگی rikkoutuminen cassure נֶזֶק שְבִירָה टूटने की क्रिया या उसका प्रभाव šteta törés(kár) kerusakan brot, brotnun rottura 破損 파손 daužymas, duženos []laušana memecah breukbrudd, skadeverk rozbicie, stłuczka مات شوی، د مات شوی تاوانونه quebra spargere поломка rozbitie, rozbitý tovar zlom l...
13. Detailed categorization, or itemization or listing, of the components of a thing; an instance of this
14. Breaking of chemical bonds within a compound to produce simpler compounds or elements; (countable) an instance of this.
    uncountable
15. a (large) wave which breaks on rocks or the beach. brander, golf موجه كبيره (تتكسر على الصخر) голяма пенеста вълна onda (de arrebentação) příbojová vlna der Brecher styrtsø μεγάλο κύμα που σπάει στα βράχια ola grande, cachón murdlaine موجی که به ساحل می خورد aallonmurtaja brisant גַל גָדוֹל तोड़ने वाला veliki val kicsapó hullám ombak brim(alda) frangente 砕け波 쇄파(碎波) lūžtanti banga liels vilnis; banga menghempas brekerbrottsjø fala przybrzeżna هغه څپه چی ساحل ته ورځی vagalhão talaz бурун príboj...
16. (usually of speed) dangerous. He drove at breakneck speed. woeste/vlieënde vaart خطير ، سريع،متهوّر главоломен perigoso krkolomný halsbrecherisch halsbrækkende; forrygende επικίνδυνος, ιλιγγιώδηςvertiginoso kaelamurdev سرسام آور hengenvaarallinen de casse-cou מְהִירוּת מְסוּכֶּנֶת खतरनाक रफ्तार vratoloman nyaktörő, őrült (sebesség) berbahaya háskalegur a rompicollo, folle 危険きわまる 매우 위험한 pavojingas, nutrūktgalviškas (par ātrumu) bīstams; galvu reibinošs memandu terlalu laju halsbrekendhalsbrekk...
    usually
17. A detailed description of a forthcoming project or screenplay which identifies all the required elements, such as the cast, costumes, equipment, props, and special effects.
    countable
18. a sudden solution of a problem leading to further advances, especially in science. deurbraak اختراق، تطوّر فجائي في حل مشكله внезапен голям напредък avanço zásadní objev, průlom der Durchbruch gennembrud; fremskridt επαναστατική ανακάλυψη (συν. στην επιστήμη) avance, descubrimiento, invento decisivo läbimurre پیشرفت یا کشف مهم läpimurto percée פְּרִיצַת דֶרֶך अचानक प्रगति proboj áttörés terobosan tímamótaskref/-uppgötvun passo avanti, conquista 難関突破 돌파, 타개 persilaužimas pēkšņs atklājums kejay...
    especially
19. A failure in a relationship; a failure or loss of organization in a system.
    countable, figuratively
20. (Sudden) worsening of physical health or (more commonly) mental stability, resulting in an inability to carry on normal activities; (countable) an instance of this.
    figuratively, uncountable
21. a barrier to break the force of the waves. breekwater كاسر أمواج вълнолом recife vlnolam der Wellenbrecher dige; bølgebryder κυματοθραύστηςrompeolas, espigón lainemurdja موج شکن aallonmurtaja brise-lames שוֹבֵר גָלִים तरंग-रोध molo hullámtörő gát tanggul laut brimbrjótur, hafnargarður frangiflutti 防波堤 방파제 bangolaužis, molas mols; viļņlauzis tembok ombak golfbrekermolo, bølgebryterfalochron څپه ماتونکی paredão dig (de larg) волнорез vlnolam valolom lukobran vågbrytare เขื่อนกันแรงน้ำ dalgakıra...
22. Injury to a horse's leg causing lameness; (countable) an instance of this.
    figuratively, uncountable
23. to escape from control. The dog broke away from its owner. wegbreek يُفلت، يفرُّ вълнолом libertar-se utrhnout se, vytrhnout se ausreißen rive sig løs ξεφεύγω από τον έλεγχο, δραπετεύωescapar minema pääsema فرار کردن päästä vapauteen échapper לִבְרוֹח नियंत्रण से निकल भागना otkidanje leszakad lepas kendali slíta sig lausan scappare 逃げる 일탈 ištrūkti aizbēgt; izbēgt lepaskan diri zich losrukken rive seg løsuciec, wyrwać się تښتیدل libertar-se a scăpa вырваться, убежать vytrhnúť sa zbežati pobeći...
24. The short period of open play immediately after a tackle and before and during the ensuing ruck.
    countable, figuratively, uncountable
25. to escape from control. The dog has broken loose. losbreek, losruk يُفلت، يتملص، يهرب избягвам escapar utrhnout se, utéct ausreißen rive sig løs ξεφεύγω από τον έλεγχο ή την επίβλεψη κπ. escapar lahti pääsema فرار کردن vapautua échapper לִבְרוֹח नियंत्रण से निकल भागना osloboditi se elszabadul lepas kendali losna scappare 逃亡する 속박에서 벗어나다 pasprukti, ištrūkti izrauties brīvībā; norauties (no ķēdes) terlepas ontsnappenslite seg; rive seg løszerwać się, wyrwać się تښتیدل escapar-se a scăpa (de sub ...
26. An act of splitting logs of wood using a large saw in a sawmill; also, the saw used; or (rare) the building in which the process is carried out.
    attributive, countable, figuratively
27. to stop. She broke off in the middle of a sentence. afbreek, ophou praat يقطع ، يتوقف спирам parar odmlčet se, zarazit (se) abbrechen stoppe op σταματώ, διακόπτωdetenerse katkestama ناگهان قطع کردن pysähtyä arrêter לְהַפסִיק रुक जाना prekinuti abbahagy berhenti hætta við í miðju kafi interrompersi 急にやめる 갑자기 그만두다 sustoti, nutilti pēkšņi pārtraukt (sarunu, attiecības u.tml.) terhenti afbrekenbryte avzatrzymać się ناڅاپه قطع کول parar a se opri (brusc) внезапно прервать(ся) zaraziť sa ustaviti s...
28. A part of a piece of music or a song which differs from the other parts in that it features improvisation or is stripped down (for example, played by fewer instruments or a solo performer).
    countable, uncountable
29. Synonym of percussion break (“a percussion-focused segment of a song, chosen by a hip-hop DJ to manipulate through cutting, mixing, and other techniques in order to create rhythmic music”).
    countable, uncountable
30. A section of a song, typical in hardcore music and related styles (such as metalcore, grindcore, and deathcore), characterized by a lower tempo and greater heaviness and intensity of sound.
    countable, uncountable
31. A noisy, rapid, shuffling dance engaged in competitively by a number of individuals or pairs in succession, common among African-Americans from the Southern United States; also, a lively event, chiefly in a rural setting, at which such dancing is done; a hoedown, a shindig.
    Southern-US, countable, dated, uncountable
32. A piece of music played for such a dance, especially a rapid bluegrass tune featuring a five-string banjo.
    Southern-US, countable, uncountable
33. An act of a structure or other thing breaking and collapsing.
    countable, obsolete

Equivalents

Examples

“Whenever he was behind the wheel, he would panic at the first sign of a breakdown.”

“He declared that these drastic steps would undoubtedly inconvenience a good many people, but the alternative was bankruptcy of the Ulster Transport Authority and the breakdown of public transport services.”

“We saw a breakdown by the side of the road.”

“Looking at the breakdown of the budget, I see a few items we could cut.”

“The railways' monopoly had meant that accountancy and record-keeping had been limited to global accounts. In other words, there were only really headline numbers, with little useful breakdown by routes or traffic type.”

“I am quite competent to answer all / Demands, in any such capacity— / But of the break-down of my general aims: […]”

“What else than Feudalism could have followed upon the breakdown of that great centralized governmental machine known as the Roman Empire?”

“After so much stress, he suffered a breakdown and simply gave up.”

“[H]e was led away to a private sanitarium for mental disease, while in the newspapers appeared pathetic accounts of his mental breakdown and of the saintliness of his character.”

“England beat Georgia in their Pool B World Cup match in Dunedin but the stuttering nature of the performance will be of concern to manager Martin Johnson. Georgia, ranked 16th in the world, dominated the breakdown before half-time and forced England into a host of infringements, but fly-half Merab Kvirikashvili missed three penalties.”

“When players appeal to the referee, as they so often do, for penalties at breakdowns when the supposed offender is being deliberately pinned down by their own teammates, they should understand they do their sport a small but significant disservice.”

“And now it's time for a breakdown.”

“Izzy [Stradlin] lays down some big chords while Slash plays the song's banjo breakdown of a theme.”

“The fired-up foursome [Trial] takes itself very seriously, singing politically charged lyrics, which, in the tradition of Strife and Damnation AD, are strategically placed in the middle of slamming, moshable breakdowns.”

“Come, hold on, boys, do n't clear out when the quadrilles are over, for we are going to have a break down to wind up with.”

“Towards nine the three miners said that as they had brought their instruments they might as well tune up, for the boys and girls would soon be arriving now, and hungry for a good old fashioned break[-]down. A fiddle, a banjo, and a clarinet—these were the instruments. The trio took their places side by side, and began to play some rattling dance-music, and beat time with their big boots.”

“Without a change of countenance, as if he were deaf to her entreaties and threats, he tuned up the banjo, and played a breakdown.”

“The banjo built up to breakdown speed and then took a sidestep into another register, an oddly complex net of notes which stretched out for a time and finally stopped on a full rest.”

“Her mother had not only gotten knocked up and lost her man when Sunset was thirteen, she soon took up with a traveling shoe salesman who played the banjo, wandered away with him and his shoes, probably to the sound of a banjo breakdown, leaving a note that read: "Sorry, Sunset, I got to go. Mama loves you. I left you a good pair of shoes in there on the kitchen table. They shine up easy."”

“The grown-ups were lolling around on the porch and in the yard, finger snapping and foot tapping while Samuel played "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" on his five-string banjo.”

CEFR level