Basic Details
Word: Break
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To make something separate into pieces suddenly, or to stop working; as a noun, a short rest from work or study.
Synonyms: smash, shatter, crack, pause
Antonyms: mend, repair, obey
Sounds like: brake (the part of a vehicle used to slow it down or stop it)
How to Spell Break
Syllables: break
Tricky part: The ea here says 'ay', which is rare. It is easy to mix up break with brake, the part of a vehicle that slows it down.
Watch out for: braek, breke, braik
Memory tip: Break shares its unusual ea sound with great and steak: a great steak, and a break for lunch.
Idioms and Phrases
- break the ice: to make people feel relaxed at the start of a meeting or party. Example: "Our new teacher broke the ice by asking everyone to share their favourite snack."
- break even: to earn just enough to cover your costs, with no profit or loss. Example: "The stall at the school fair only broke even, because it rained in the afternoon."
Usage Examples
Example 1: Be careful not to break the glass jar while washing it.
Example 2: We get a twenty-minute break after the third period.
Example 3: The batsman's century helped the team break a five-match losing streak.
Fun Fact
Breakfast is break + fast: the first meal of the day breaks the long fast of the night.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. temprature 2. febuary 3. break 4. libary
a) a place where books are kept for people to read or borrow
b) to make something separate into pieces
c) how hot or cold something is
d) the second month of the year
Show answer
b) to make something separate into pieces. Temperature, February and library each lose a letter when people say them fast, and that is exactly what happened in this list.
Word Connection
Choose the word opposite in meaning to break as used in the sentence:
Players who break the rules of the tournament will be sent off at once.
a) obey
b) violate
c) breach
d) defy
Show answer
a) obey. To break a rule is to violate, breach or defy it; to obey it is to follow it.
Word Makeup
Choose the correctly spelt compound word:
a) breakthrough
b) daybraek
c) heartbrake
d) brekwater
Show answer
a) breakthrough. Breakthrough keeps break whole; the others should be heartbreak, daybreak and breakwater.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The driver pressed the ____ to stop the car.
a) break
b) brake
c) braik
d) breake
Show answer
b) brake
2. Which word means 'a short rest from work or study'?
a) bracket
b) breach
c) brake
d) break
Show answer
d) break
