break-down machine

  • 1break down phrasal — verb 1 MACHINE (I) if a large machine, especially a car, breaks down, it stops working: The elevators in this building are always breaking down. 2 FAIL (I) if a discussion, system etc breaks down, it fails because there are problems: Peace talks… …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 2break down — 1) PHRASAL VERB If a machine or a vehicle breaks down, it stops working. [V P] Their car broke down. 2) PHRASAL VERB If a discussion, relationship, or system breaks down, it fails because of a problem or disagreement. [V P] Talks with business… …

    English dictionary

  • 3break down — phrasal verb Word forms break down : present tense I/you/we/they break down he/she/it breaks down present participle breaking down past tense broke down past participle broken down 1) [intransitive] if a machine or vehicle breaks down, it stops… …

    English dictionary

  • 4break·down — /ˈbreıkˌdaʊn/ noun, pl downs 1 : a failure of a machine to function : an occurrence in which a machine (such as a car) stops working [count] We had a breakdown on the highway. [=our car broke down on the highway; our car stopped working on the… …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 5break down — UK US break down Phrasal Verb with break({{}}/breɪk/ verb [T] (broke, broken) ► [I or T] to separate, or to separate something, into smaller parts: »Can you break down our expenses by month and by region? »The data breaks down into three main… …

    Financial and business terms

  • 6break down — phr verb Break down is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑acid, ↑car, ↑communication, ↑consensus, ↑engine, ↑heating, ↑machine, ↑marriage, ↑negotiation, ↑relationship, ↑system, ↑ …

    Collocations dictionary

  • 7ˌbreak ˈdown — phrasal verb 1) if a machine or vehicle breaks down, it stops working 2) if a relationship or discussion breaks down, it stops being successful At one point, the talks broke down completely.[/ex] 3) to start crying, especially in public People… …

    Dictionary for writing and speaking English

  • 8break down — /ˌbreɪk daυn/ verb 1. to stop working because of mechanical failure ● The fax machine has broken down. 2. to stop ● Negotiations broke down after six hours. 3. to show all the items in a total list of costs or expenditure ● We broke the… …

    Dictionary of banking and finance

  • 9break — break1 W1S1 [breık] v past tense broke [brəuk US brouk] past participle broken [ˈbrəukən US ˈbrou ] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(separate into pieces)¦ 2¦(bones)¦ 3¦(machines)¦ 4¦(rules/laws)¦ 5¦(promise/agreement)¦ 6¦(stop/rest)¦ 7¦(end something)¦ …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 10break — break1 [ breık ] (past tense broke [ brouk ] ; past participle broken [ broukən ] ) verb *** ▸ 1 separate into pieces ▸ 2 fail to obey rules ▸ 3 make a hole/cut ▸ 4 destroy someone s confidence ▸ 5 when people learn news ▸ 6 stop for a short time …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English