Basic Details
Word: Break
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To separate something into pieces or to make something stop working.
Synonyms: Shatter, fracture, crack, split, rupture
Antonyms: Mend, repair, fix, join
Idioms and Phrases
- Break the ice: To start a conversation in a social setting. Example: "To break the ice, she told a funny story about her first day at school."
- Break a leg: A way to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance. Example: "Before the school play, his friends said, 'Break a leg!' to him."
Usage Examples
Example 1: Be careful not to break the window when you throw the ball.
Example 2: I took a short break from studying to grab a snack.
Example 3: He used a hammer to break the concrete into smaller pieces.
Fun Fact
Did you know that the phrase "break a leg" originated in the theatre world? It was believed that wishing good luck outright would bring bad luck, so instead, actors would say this to each other!
Famous Quote
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "break" mean?
a) To combine two things
b) To separate into pieces
c) To clean something
d) To start something new
Answer: b) To separate into pieces
2. Which of these is a synonym of "break"?
a) Mend
b) Shatter
c) Join
d) Attach
Answer: b) Shatter
3. Which sentence uses "break" correctly?
a) She tried to break the record in the running race.
b) He will break his homework before dinner.
c) They wanted to break the rules of the game all the time.
d) We should break the door again after it was fixed.
Answer: a) She tried to break the record in the running race.
4. Which idiom means to start a conversation?
a) Break the ice
b) Break a leg
c) Break the rules
d) Break dawn
Answer: a) Break the ice
5. What is the opposite of "break"?
a) Shatter
b) Repair
c) Rupture
d) Split
Answer: b) Repair
