frequently_asked_questions_files/Oxford Thesaurus.pdf

eadth of coverage of the six o'clock news. 3 liberality,
largeness, catholicity, latitude: Great breadth of vision was
exhibited in the conference papers.
break v. 1 break apart or up or asunder, fracture, rupture, break
into bits, come apart, shatter, shiver, crack, crash, splinter,
fragment, split, burst, explode, Colloq bust: The ball flew
over the fence and broke my neighbour's window. She fell and
broke her wrist. 2 reveal, announce, disclose, divulge, tell,
make public: Break the news to him gently. 3 relax, ease up,
improve, ameliorate, change for the better: When will this
spell of wet weather break? 4 demolish, smash, destroy, crush,
ruin, defeat, foil, frustrate: The power of the dictator was
finally broken. 5 ruin, bankrupt: He's the man that broke the
bank at Monte Carlo. 6 weary, exhaust, wear out, weaken,
debilitate: Twenty years in the chain-gang had broken him
completely. 7 crush, overcome; cow, cripple, demoralize,
weaken, undermine, discourage: The divorce has broken her
spirit. 8 break in, tame, discipline, train, condition: I used
to break horses for a living. 9 violate, transgress, disobey,
contravene, defy, infringe, fail to observe, ignore, disregard,
flout: If you break the law, you'll regret it. They broke the
contract. 10 break off, discontinue, interrupt, sever, cut off;
give up, suspend, disrupt: We broke relations with Spain after
the incident. It is very difficult to break a habit of a
lifetime. The narrative breaks at this point, to be taken up
later. 11 break up, divide, disperse, scatter: The rain is over
and the clouds are breaking. 12 break loose or away or forth,
separate from, break out (of), escape (from), depart (from):
The ship broke from its moorings during the storm. 13 break
forth, burst forth; emerge or come out suddenly: The storm
broke in all its fury. After a little while, the sun broke
through. 14 demote, Colloq bust: He was broken from sergeant to
private. 15 break away. leave, depart, separate (oneself): A
small group broke away from the established church to worship as
they saw fit. 16 break down. a demolish, destroy: All right,
men, let's break down that wall. b decompose, break up;
analyse: The carbon dioxide molecules and water are broken down
by photosynthesis. c collapse, give way, disintegrate, be
crushed, be prostrated: His health has broken down completely.
17 break ground. initiate, begin, commence, found, set up,
establish, inaugurate, be innovative, innovate, Colloq break the
ice, take the plunge, start the ball rolling: Laser printers