break down

Definitions

1. 1

   To stop functioning.

   • I am afraid my computer will break down if I try to run it at too high a speed.
   • "We love our little diesel trains. They potter up and down. They break down. The C6 overhaul is only a temporary answer. By the time they are replaced, they will be 45 years old.
2. 2

   To unexpectedly collapse, physically or in structure.

3. 3

   To intentionally demolish

   To intentionally demolish; to pull down.

4. ›+ 10 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      To fail, especially socially or for political reasons.

      • Talks broke down between Prime Minister John Doe and the opposition party.
      • Relations broke down between Greece and Turkey.
   2. 5

      To give in or give up

      To give in or give up: relent, concede, surrender.

      • Is it worth taking it to a repair shop, or should I just break down and buy a new one?
   3. 6

      To render or to become unstable due to stress, to collapse physically or mentally.

      • Near-synonym: come undone
      • She is back to work now, after she broke down the other day.
      • Sophia broke down here. Even at this moment she was subconsciously comparing her rendering of the part of the forlorn bride with Miss Marie Lohr's.
   4. 7

      To render or to become weak and ineffective.

      • His authority and influence over his coordinates broke down gradually.
      • Hodgson's approach may not illuminate proceedings in Poland and Ukraine but early evidence suggests they will be tough to break down.
   5. 8

      To (cause to) decay, to decompose.

      • Leaves and grass will break down into compost faster if you keep them moist.
   6. 9

      To separate into a number of parts.

      • Near-synonyms: break apart, break up, take apart, tear down, tear up
      • The goods station is a transhipment centre (centre de transbordement) at which loads made up at other centres are broken down and redespatched to destinations in the area.
      • Meetings began in June and shortly after the group of twelve women decided to break-down into two sub groups in order to examine the subject more efficiently.
   7. 10

      To divide into parts to give more details, to provide a more indepth analysis of.

      • Near-synonym: analyze
      • If you don't understand, ask him to break down the numbers for you.
      • A great example is Blair Imani, an author, historian, and creator whose “Smarter in Seconds” series breaks down socio-political issues into very basic, helpful explanations in less than 60 seconds.
   8. 11

      To digest.

      • Near-synonym: catabolize
      • His stomach took a while to break down his food.
      • His food took a while to break down in his stomach.
   9. 12

      Bust down or bust a move

      Bust down or bust a move; the act of performing energetic, often freestyle or hip-hop moves, frequently during a song’s instrumental break where only drums or bass are playing.

   10. 13

       Misspelling of breakdown.

The neighborhood

• neighborbreak it down