Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)

[break new ground] <v. phr.> 1. To start a new activity previously neglected by others; do pioneering work. * /Albert Einstein broke new ground with his theory of relativity./ 2. To begin something never done before. * /The school broke new ground with reading lessons that taught students to guess the meaning of new words./

[break off] <v.> 1. To stop suddenly. * /The speaker was interrupted so often that he broke off and sat down./ * /When Bob came in, Jean broke off her talk with Linda and talked to Bob./ 2. <informal> To end a friendship or love. * /I hear that Tom and Alice have broken off./ * /She broke off with her best friend./

[break one's balls] <v. phr.>, <slang>, <vulgar>, <avoidable> To do something with maximum effort; to do something very difficult or taxing * /I've been breaking my balls to buy you this new color TV set and you aren't the least bit appreciative!/ Compare: BREAK ONE'S NECK.

[break one's heart] <v. phr.> To discourage greatly; make very sad or hopeless. * /His son's disgrace broke his heart./ * /When Mr. White lost everything he had worked so hard for, it broke his heart./

[break one's neck] <v. phr.>, <slang> To do all you possibly can; try your hardest.
– Usually used with a limiting adverb or negative. * /John nearly broke his neck trying not to be late to school./ * /Mother asked Mary to go to the store when she was free, but not to break her neck over it./

[break one's word] <v. phr.> To renege on a promise. * /When Jake broke his word that he would marry Sarah, she became very depressed./

[break out] <v.> 1. To begin showing a rash or other skin disorder.
– Often used with "with". * /He broke out with scarlet fever./ 2. To speak or act suddenly and violently. * /He broke out laughing./ * /She broke out, "That is not so!"/ 3. To begin and become noticeable. * /Fire broke out after the earthquake./ * /War broke out in 1812./ Compare: FLARE UP. 4. <informal> To bring out; open and show. * /When word of the victory came, people began breaking out their flags./ * /When Mr. Carson's first son was born, he broke out the cigars he had been saving./

[break the ice] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To conquer the first difficulties in starting a conversation, getting a party going, or making an acquaintance. * /To break the ice Ted spoke of his interest in mountain climbing, and they soon had a conversation going./ * /Some people use an unusual thing, such as an unusual piece of jewelry, to break the ice./ 2. To be the first person or team to score in a game. * /The Wolves broke the ice with a touchdown./

[break the record] <v. phr.> To set or to establish a new mark or record. * /Algernon broke the record in both the pentathlon and the decathlon and took home two gold medals from the Olympics./

[break through] <v.> To be successful after overcoming a difficulty or bar to success. * /Dr. Salk failed many times but he finally broke through to find a successful polio vaccine./ * /Jim studied very hard this semester in college, and he finally broke through onto the Dean's List for the first time./

[breakthrough] <n.> A point of sudden success after a long process of experimentation, trial and error. * /The U.S. Space Program experienced a major breakthrough when Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon in June of 1969./

[break up] <v. phr.> To end a romantic relationship, a marriage, or a business partnership. * /Tom and Jane broke up because Tom played so much golf that he had no time for her./

[break up] <v.> 1. To break into pieces. * /The workmen broke up the pavement to dig up the pipes under it./ * /River ice breaks up in the spring./ 2. <informal> To lose or destroy spirit or self-control.
– Usually used in the passive. * /Mrs. Lawrence was all broken up after her daughter's death, and did not go out of the house for two months./ Compare: CRACK UP, GO TO PIECES. 3. To come or to put to an end, especially by separation; separate. * /Some men kept interrupting the speakers, and finally broke up the meeting./ * /The party broke up at midnight./ - Often used in the informal phrase "break it up". * /The boys were fighting, and a passing policeman ordered them to break it up./ Compare: CUT OUT(1). 4. <informal> To stop being friends. * /Mary and June were good friends and did everything together, but then they had a quarrel and broke up/ Compare: BREAK OFF.

[break-up] <n.> The end of a relationship, personal or commercial. * /The break-up finally occurred when Smith and Brown decided to sue each other for embezzlement./

[break with] <v.> To separate yourself from; end membership in; stop friendly association with. * /He broke with the Democratic party on the question of civil rights./ * /He had broken with some friends who had changed in their ideas./

[breast] See: MAKE A CLEAN BREAST OF.

[breath] See: CATCH ONE'S BREATH, DRAW A LONG BREATH or TAKE A LONG BREATH, HOLD ONE'S BREATH, IN THE SAME BREATH, OUT OF BREATH, SAVE ONE'S BREATH, SECOND WIND also SECOND BREATH, TAKE ONE'S BREATH AWAY, UNDER ONE'S BREATH, WASTE ONE'S BREATH.

[breathe down one's neck] <v. phr.>, <informal> To follow closely; threaten from behind; watch every action. * /Too many creditors were breathing down his neck./ * /The carpenter didn't like to work for Mr. Jones, who was always breathing down his neck./

[breathe easily] or [breathe freely] <v.> To have relief from difficulty or worry; relax; feel that trouble is gone; stop worrying. * /Now that the big bills were paid, he breathed more easily./ * /His mother didn't breathe easily until he got home that night./

[breathe one's last] <v. phr.> To die. * /The wounded soldier fell back on the ground and breathed his last./

[bred in the bone] <adj. phr.> Belonging to your nature or character, especially from early teaching or long habit; natural from belief or habit; believing deeply. * /The Willett children's cleanness is bred in the none./ Often used, with hyphens before the noun. * /Joe is a bred-in-the-bone horseman; he has been riding since he was six./ Contrast: SKIN-DEEP.

[breeches] See: TOO BIG FOR ONE'S BREECHES.

[breeze] See: SHOOT THE BREEZE or BAT THE BREEZE or FAN THE BREEZE, WIN IN A WALK or WIN IN A BREEZE.

[breeze in] <v. phr.>, <slang>, <informal> To walk into a place casually (like a soft blowing wind). * /Betsie breezed in and sat down at the bar./

[brew] See: HOME BREW.

[brick] See: MAKE BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW.

[brick wall] See: STONE WALL.

[bridge] See: BURN ONE'S BRIDGES, CROSS A BRIDGE BEFORE ONE COMES TO IT, WATER OVER THE DAM or WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.

[brief] See: HOLD A BRIEF FOR, IN BRIEF or IN SHORT or IN A WORD.

[bright and early] <adj. phr.> Prompt and alert; on time and ready; cheerful and on time or before time. * /He came down bright and early to breakfast./ * /She arrived bright and early for the appointment./

[bring about] <v.> To cause; produce; lead to. * /The war had brought about great changes in living./ * /Drink brought about his downfall./

[bring around] or [bring round] <v.> 1. <informal> To restore to health or consciousness cure. * /He was quite ill, but good nursing brought him around./ Compare: BRING TO(1). 2. To cause a change in thinking; persuade; convince; make willing. * /After a good deal of discussion he brought her round to his way of thinking./