break up
(redirected from The Break-Up)Also found in: Wikipedia.
break it up
To stop a fight, especially a physical altercation. Often used an imperative addressing those fighting. Whoa, break it up, you two! When the teacher saw the two boys shove each other, she came running over to try to break it up. Just let the them fight, refs! Don't break it up!
break up
1. verb To come apart in pieces. The house is so old that the plaster on this wall is breaking up—there are bits of it all over the floor. I know you like a hard, crunchy bread, but I prefer a soft one that breaks up in your hands. You need to add some water to this sand, otherwise it'll just keep breaking up as you try to build your sandcastle.
2. verb To split something into smaller pieces. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is commonly used between "break" and "up." I know the project is daunting, but let's break it up into manageable parts that each of us can work on. Because there was only one cookie left, I broke it up so that each kid could have a piece. Dad's outside with his chainsaw breaking up the big branch that fell.
3. verb To be inaudible or indecipherable, as of a voice on the telephone or a broadcast of some kind. I'm sorry, can you repeat that? You're breaking up. Your father called, but he was breaking up the whole time, and his message was all garbled. I'm actually not sure who it was on the phone, sir. They were breaking up the whole time.
4. verb To disrupt something and induce its end. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "break" and "up." When the teacher saw the two boys shove each other, she came running over to break it up. The police have been working hard to break up the drug trade in our city The referees are too quick to break up fights these days. They need to let hockey players police themselves!
5. verb To end a partnership of some kind, often a romantic relationship. I'm so sad to hear that Mara and John broke up—I thought those two would be together forever. The Beatles breaking up is considered a pivotal moment in rock history. I love Bryan. I don't want to break up with him, but I just think our relationship has run its course, unfortunately.
6. verb To cause one to laugh or cry intensely. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is commonly used between "break" and "up." That joke broke her up more than I'd anticipated—she thought it was hilarious! My mother was fine this morning, but the funeral really broke her up. That strange noise in the hallway totally broke the class up. I had a hard time getting them to stop laughing and focus on fractions again.
7. verb To laugh or cry intensely. She thought that joke was hilarious and completely broke up at it! My mother was fine this morning, but she really broke up at the funeral. That last scene totally broke me up. It was just so sad!
8. verb To disrupt the monotony of something. I need to walk around and get some coffee—anything to break up a morning of research. You need to inject some humor and break up the dull tone of this speech. The kids need recess to break up a day of classes.
9. noun The end of a partnership of some kind, often a romantic relationship. In this usage, the phrase is commonly written as one word. I was so sad to hear of Mara and John's breakup—I thought those two would be together forever. The Beatles' breakup is considered a pivotal moment in rock history. It's been four years—will he ever get over his breakup with Sharon?
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
break someone up
to cause a person to laugh, perhaps at an inappropriate time. John told a joke that really broke Mary up. The comedian's job was to break up the audience by telling jokes.
break something up (into something)
to break something into smaller pieces. We broke the crackers up into much smaller pieces. Please break up the crackers into smaller pieces if you want to feed the ducks.
break something up
1. Lit. to destroy something. The storm broke the docks up on the lake. The police broke up the gambling ring.
2. Fig. to put an end to something. The police broke the fight up. Walter's parents broke up the party at three in the morning.
break up (with someone)
to end a romantic relationship with someone. Tom broke up with Mary and started dating Lisa. We broke up in March, after an argument.
break up
1. Lit. [for something] to fall apart; to be broken to pieces. (Typically said of a ship breaking up on rocks.) In the greatest storm of the century, theship broke up on the reef. It broke up and sank.
2. Go to break up (with someone).
3. [for married persons] to divorce. After many years of bickering, they finally broke up.
4. [for a marriage] to dissolve in divorce. Their marriage finally broke up.
5. to begin laughing very hard. The comedian told a particularly good joke, and the audience broke up. I always break up when I hear her sing. She is so bad!
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
break it up
see under break up.
break someone up
see under break up, def. 5.
break up
1. Divide into many pieces; disintegrate. For example, Now break up the head of garlic into separate cloves. [Mid-1700s]
2. Interrupt the continuity of something, as in A short walk will break up the long morning.
3. Also, break it up. Scatter, disperse, as in The crowd broke up as soon as they reached the streets. [Late 1400s] This phrase is also used as an imperative, as in "Break it up!" shouted the police officer. [c. 1930]
4. Bring or come to an end, as in His gambling was bound to break up their marriage.
5. Also, break someone up. Burst into or cause one to burst into an expression of feeling, such as laughter or tears. For example, His jokes always break me up, or That touching eulogy broke us all up, or I looked at her and just broke up. The precise meaning depends on the context. This sense grew out of a usage from the early 1800s that meant "upset" or "disturb." [Colloquial; early 1800s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
break up
v.
1. To divide something into pieces: He broke up a piece of chocolate and scattered the pieces on top of the cake. She took the damaged table outside and broke it up with an axe for use as firewood.
2. To separate or shatter into pieces: The falling rocket broke up before it hit the ground.
3. To cause a relationship or partnership to end: Personal tensions broke the rock band up. I'm not trying to break up their marriage.
4. To end a relationship or partnership; separate: I thought they would be married by the end of the year, but they broke up instead.
5. To cause a crowd or gathering to disperse: The protest rally was getting very big and noisy when the police came and broke it up. The teacher came outside to break up the group of children that were fighting.
6. To disperse: The crowd broke up after the concert was over.
7. To cause someone to laugh or cry very hard: That story that you told really broke me up!
8. To laugh or cry very hard: She broke up when I told her the joke. He broke up when he heard the sad news.
9. To be unclear because of technical difficulties. Used of radio and telephone signals: My radio started breaking up as I drove through the tunnel. There must be something wrong with your phone; your signal is breaking up!
10. To add variety to something: The vertical stripes break up the horizontal patterns on the wall. I take a short walk after lunch to break up the routine of the workday.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.