break

/ˈbrāk/

Middle English breken, going back to Old English brecan, going back to Germanic *brekan- (whence also Old Saxon brekan "to violently separate, shatter," Old High German brehhan, Gothic brikan), going back to Indo-European *b{sup}h{/sup}reg- "violently separate," whence also, with varying ablaut grades, Latin frangere (perfect frēgī) "to break, shatter" and perhaps Old Irish braigid (perfect ro-bebraig) "(s/he) farts, breaks wind"

verb

  1. to separate into parts with suddenness or violence

  2. to cause (a bone) to separate into two or more pieces : fracture

  3. to fracture a bone of (a bodily part)

broke a plate

noun

  1. an act or action of breaking

  2. the opening shot in a game of pool or billiards

  3. a gap or opening caused or appearing as if caused by damage : a condition produced by or as if by breaking : gap

noun

  1. a device for arresting or preventing the motion of a mechanism usually by means of friction

  2. something used to slow down or stop movement or activity

apply the brakes