breakdown
Pluralbreakdowns
Often confused with break down
- 1A sudden failure of a machine or vehicle, so that it stops working.
Like a toy that suddenly stops moving when something inside it breaks.
The car had a breakdown on the highway and would not start.
A power breakdown left the whole town without lights for hours.
Similarfailure, malfunction, fault
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- 2A time when someone becomes so unwell in body or mind that they cannot do normal daily things.
Like a phone that shuts itself down when it gets too hot to work.
After months of stress, she had a breakdown and could not go to work.
Caring for everyone alone slowly pushed him toward a breakdown.
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- 3A list that shows all the separate parts of something.
Like cutting a cake into slices so you can see each piece.
The teacher gave us a breakdown of the marks for each question.
Here is a simple breakdown of how the money was spent.
Similaritemization, analysis, rundown, classification
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- 4A serious failure in a relationship, or a loss of order in a system.
Like a team that stops working together until nothing gets done.
The breakdown of their marriage surprised everyone who knew them.
A breakdown in talks left the two countries further apart.
Similarcollapse, failure, disintegration
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- 5A vehicle or machine that has stopped working because something inside it broke.
Like a bike left on the path after its chain snaps.
The mechanic towed the breakdown to his garage.
A breakdown blocked one lane of the busy road.
- 6The breaking apart of a chemical into simpler chemicals or basic substances.
Like a tower of blocks coming apart into single blocks.
Heat causes the breakdown of sugar into simpler substances.
The breakdown of the medicine happens slowly inside the body.
Similardecomposition, degradation
Oppositesynthesis
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- 7A part of a song that is simpler or has players making up the music as they go.
Like a story that pauses so one person can speak alone.
The band slowed things down for a quiet breakdown in the middle of the song.
During the breakdown, only the guitarist kept playing.
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- 8In heavy music, a slower, heavier part of a song meant to sound very intense.
Like the loudest, heaviest part of a storm hitting all at once.
The crowd went wild when the breakdown hit.
This song has a slow, crushing breakdown near the end.
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- 9In hip-hop, the part of a song with just the drums, which a DJ plays with and mixes.
Like playing the same fun part of a song over and over.
The DJ looped the breakdown so the dancers could keep moving.
Everyone waited for the breakdown to start dancing.
Similarbreak
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- 10A sudden failure where a material that normally blocks electricity suddenly lets it pass, because the voltage is too high.
Like a dam that suddenly bursts and lets the water rush through.
When the voltage climbed too high, a breakdown let the current jump across the gap.
The old wire's insulation suffered a breakdown and started to spark.
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- 11A detailed list of everything a film or show will need, such as actors, costumes, props, and special effects.
Like a shopping list that names everything you must buy before you cook a big meal.
The producer wrote a breakdown listing every prop and costume for the shoot.
Before filming, the team prepared a breakdown of all the actors they needed.
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- 12A fast, noisy shuffling dance from the rural South, performed competitively in turns, or the lively country party where it happened.
Like a dance contest where everyone takes a turn showing off their fastest steps.
The whole village turned out for a breakdown at the old barn.
Come, hold on, boys, do n't clear out when the quadrilles are over, for we are going to have a break down to wind up with.
1859, John Russell Bartlett, “Break down”Here, break down means a fast, noisy shuffling dance to end the party.Similarhoedown
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- 13A fast piece of music played for a shuffling country dance, often a bluegrass tune with a five-string banjo.
Like the speedy tune a band plays to get everyone up and moving.
The band kicked off the night with a lively breakdown on banjo and fiddle.
Everyone clapped along to the fast breakdown as the dancers spun.
Similarhoedown
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- 14In rugby, the moment of play right after a tackle, when players fight for the loose ball.
Like the quick scramble for a dropped ball before anyone can set up again.
Their forwards won the ball quickly at the breakdown.
The referee watched the breakdown closely for any foul play.
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- 15The job of cutting up logs with a big saw at a sawmill, or the saw used to do it.
Like slicing a big loaf of bread into thick pieces before you use them.
The first breakdown turned the huge trunk into rough planks.
He oiled the breakdown before the morning shift began.
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- 16An injury to a horse's leg that makes it go lame.
Like a runner pulling a muscle so badly that they can no longer race.
The vet feared a breakdown after the colt pulled up sharply.
A serious breakdown ended the old mare's racing days.
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- 17An act of a building or other thing breaking apart and falling down.
Like a tall tower of blocks suddenly tumbling into a heap.
The flood caused a sudden breakdown of the old wooden bridge.
Townsfolk gathered to watch the breakdown of the burned tower.
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Practice
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Origin
It comes from the verb phrase "break down."