English [ edit ] break down third-person singular simple present breaks down present participle breaking down simple past broke down past participle broken down or ( informal ) broke down
( intransitive ) To stop functioning . (machine , computer , vehicle )
I am afraid my computer will break down if I try to run it at too high a speed.
( intransitive ) To collapse , physically or in structure. (unexpectedly)( intransitive ) To demolish , to pull down. (intentionally)( intransitive ) To cease to function . (others)( intransitive ) To fail , especially socially or for political reasons.
Talks broke down between Prime Minister John Doe and the opposition party.
Relations broke down between Greece and Turkey.
( intransitive , idiomatic ) To give in , relent, concede, or surrender.
Is it worth taking it to a repair shop, or should I just break down and buy a new one?
( ergative , figuratively ) To render or to become unstable due to stress, to collapse physically or mentally.
She is back to work now, after she broke down the other day.
1922 , Ben Travers , A Cuckoo in the Nest Sophia broke down here. Even at this moment she was subconsciously comparing her rendering of the part of the forlorn bride with Miss Marie Lohr's.
1936 Sept. 15 , F. Scott Fitzgerald , letter to Beatrice Dance:
As to Ernest ... He is quite as nervously broken down as I am but it manifests itself in different ways. His inclination is towards megalomania and mine towards melancholy. ( ergative , figuratively ) To render or to become weak and ineffective .
His authority and influence over his coordinates broke down gradually.
2012 June 2, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Belgium ”, in BBC Sport :Hodgson's approach may not illuminate proceedings in Poland and Ukraine but early evidence suggests they will be tough to break down .
( ergative ) To (cause to) decay , to decompose .
Leaves and grass will break down into compost faster if you keep them moist.
( ergative , figuratively ) To divide into parts to give more details, to provide a more indepth analysis of.
If you don't understand, ask him to break down the numbers for you.
( ergative ) To digest .
His stomach took a while to break down his food.
Translations [ edit ]
(machine) to stop functioning
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Finnish: hajota (fi) , rikkoutua (fi) , mennä rikki (fi) , vikaantua lakata toimimasta
French: tomber en panne (fr)
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German: versagen (de) , den Geist aufgeben (de) ( slang )
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Polish: psuć się impf zepsuć się pf
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(computer) to stop functioning
(vehicle) to stop functioning
to collapse unexpectedly, physically or in structure
to pull down intentionally
to cease to function; (others than above)
to fail, especially socially or for political reasons
to become unstable or collapse, mentally or otherwise
to become weak and ineffective
to divide into parts for analysis
See also [ edit ] break down plural break downs
Misspelling of breakdown . 