We worked hard to break the dog of making a mess on the carpet.
•I don't think I can break her of the habit.
•Tom broke himself of biting his nails.
Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.
break away from something — break away (from (someone/something)) 1. to escape. George s excited horse broke away and ran off into the field. 2. to separate from the control of someone or something. Scotland isn t going to suddenly break away from the rest of Great Britain … New idioms dictionary
break someone's fall — break someone’s fall phrase to stop someone who is falling from hitting the ground directly, so that they hurt themselves less than they would have done Thesaurus: to stop someone or something from fallingsynonym Main entry: break … Useful english dictionary
break someone's heart — break (someone s) heart 1. to make someone who loves you very sad, especially by telling them you do not love them any more. He broke my heart, but I ll never forget him. 2. if an unpleasant situation or event breaks your heart, it makes you feel … New idioms dictionary
break faith with something — break faith with (something/someone) formal to stop supporting an idea or person, especially by not doing what you promised to do. She claims that the government has broken faith with teachers by failing to give additional funds to education … New idioms dictionary
break someone's heart — verb cause deep emotional pain and grief to somebody The young man broke the girl s heart when he told her was going to marry her best friend • Hypernyms: ↑pain, ↑anguish, ↑hurt • Verb Frames: Somebody s somebody Something s somebody … Useful english dictionary
break someone's heart — 1) to upset someone very much, especially by letting them know that you do not love them. You can also say that someone s heart breaks or that they have a broken heart Friends and relatives said she died of a broken heart. 2) it breaks someone s… … English dictionary
tear loose (from someone or something) — [ter...] in. to manage to break away from someone or something. □ The quarterback tore loose and ran twenty yards for a first down. □ Barlowe tore loose from Rocko and made for the door … Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions
break — vb Break, crack, burst, bust, snap, shatter, shiver are comparable as general terms meaning fundamentally to come apart or cause to come apart. Break basically implies the operation of a stress or strain that will cause a rupture, a fracture, a… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
break — ► VERB (past broke; past part. broken) 1) separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain. 2) make or become inoperative; stop working. 3) interrupt (a continuity, sequence, or course). 4) fail to observe (a law, regulation, or… … English terms dictionary
break — [brāk] vt. broke, broken, breaking [ME breken < OE brecan < IE base * bhreg > BREACH, BREECH, Ger brechen, L frangere] 1. to cause to come apart by force; split or crack sharply into pieces; smash; burst 2. a) … English World dictionary
break away from someone — break away (from (someone/something)) 1. to escape. George s excited horse broke away and ran off into the field. 2. to separate from the control of someone or something. Scotland isn t going to suddenly break away from the rest of Great Britain … New idioms dictionary
