break into
English
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Verb
[edit]break into (third-person singular simple present breaks into, present participle breaking into, simple past broke into, past participle broken into)
- (transitive, idiomatic) To enter illegally or by force, especially in order to commit a crime.
- Somebody broke into his car and stole his tools and CDs.
- Hackers broke into the bank's computer system and stole customer data.
- (transitive, idiomatic) To open or begin to use.
- I finally broke into the second package of cookies.
- (transitive, idiomatic) To successfully enter a profession or business.
- He hopes to break into show business.
- (transitive) To begin suddenly.
- The horse broke into a gallop as they neared the barn.
- I just broke into tears while talking to my mom.
- She broke into a smile, wrenching herself away from our head physician.
- 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, Canto XXIII, page 39:
- Now, sometimes in my sorrow shut,
Or breaking into song by fits;
Alone, alone, to where he sits,
The Shadow cloak’d from head to foot
Who keeps the keys of all the creeds,
I wander, often falling lame, […]
- 1943 November – 1944 February (date written; published 1945 August 17), George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], Animal Farm […], London: Secker & Warburg, published May 1962, →OCLC:
- Then, as usual, the sheep broke into "Four legs good, two legs bad!" and the momentary awkwardness was smoothed over.
- 2010, Julie Kagawa, The Iron King, Don Mills: Harlequin Teen, →ISBN, page 237:
- That struck me as hilarious, and I broke into hysterical giggles. And once I began, I couldn’t stop. I laughed until I was gasping for breath, tears streaming down my face.
Derived terms
[edit]Translations
[edit]to enter illegally
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to successfully enter a profession or business
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