“Break”作為英文中的一個常用詞，能夠與很多詞語搭配形成短語，表達豐富的含義，今天我們就來學習一些吧。

1. break up 分手/解散

Four months ago , my girlfriend and I broke up.

四個月前，我和我的女朋友分手了。

The police had to employ force to break up the crowd.

警察不得不使用武力驅散人群。

2. break down 精神崩潰/毀壞

The machine must break down at this busy hour.

正忙的時候，機器偏偏又壞了。

He finally break down under the four-hour's strain.

在四小時的壓力下他終于堅持不了。

3. break in 破門而入

Robbers often break in at midnight.

強盜經常在半夜破門而入。

4. break out 出皮疹/爆發

His efforts were brought to naught when the war broke out.

戰爭爆發，使他的一切努力付諸東流。

bring to naught: 使化為烏有，使成泡影；使毀滅

The baby broke out in a rash.

嬰兒全身出了一片紅疹。

rash :n. [皮膚] 皮疹；突然大量出現的事物

5. break off 休息一下/暫停

Let's break off work for a few minutes.

我們把工作暫停幾分鐘。

6. break through 突破/穿過

The sun broke through the clouds.

太陽沖破云層出來了。

We hope to break through soon in the fight against AIDS.

我們希望在與艾滋病的斗爭中很快有所突破。

7. break even 不賺不賠，收支平衡

It will be a year before the firm makes a profit but at least it's breaking even.

這家公司一年以后才能贏利，現在至少已收支平衡了。

8. the break of dawn 破曉

She got up at the break of dawn

天剛亮她便起床了

9. break the ice 打破僵局/破冰

The host told a joke to his guest to break the ice.

主人為了打破僵局，給客人講了個笑話。

10. break the bank 太貴

Come on! One evening at the theatre won't break the bank.

得啦! 看一晚上戲不會傾家蕩產的。