030
break down 出故障；抛锚；分解
重点解析 ▲ break down可用来表示机器或车辆等出故障，也可以指将某物分为若干部分，此时可用break down sth (into)或break sth down (into)。
情景对话
Jane: Does our car break down again?
Grant: I'm afraid so. Perhaps we need a new car.
简：我们的小汽车又抛锚了吗？
格兰特：恐怕是。或许我们需要买一辆新车了。
触类旁通
· break down in tears 嚎啕大哭
· break down barriers 消除隔阂
· sb breaks down 某人感情失控∕放声痛哭起来
例句再现
We can break the task down into small steps． 我们可以将任务分为若干步骤。
Their marriage broke down two years later． 两年后他们的婚姻破裂了。
The reason why we fail to meet the deadline is that the machine broke down at the busy hour.
我们没能赶上最后期限的原因是，机器在正忙的时候坏了。
The aim is to break down barriers between departments． 目标是消除部门之间的隔阂。
031
break for 休息
重点解析 ▲ break for为动词词组，break也可作名词，表示“休息”，如lunch break（午休时间）, tea break（吃茶点的休息时间）。
情景对话
Smith: Let's break for coffee and continue with it later.
Tony: Good idea. I'm all tired out.
史密斯：我们去喝杯咖啡休息一会儿再继续吧。
托尼：好主意。我快累死了。
触类旁通
· take/have a break 休息一会儿
· Give me a break． 饶了我吧。
例句再现
May I suggest we break for a snack？ 我建议我们休息一会儿，吃点点心。
We're about to break for lunch. Do you want to join us？ 我们要去吃午饭了，你要和我们一起去吗
What about breaking for tea？ 休息一会儿喝杯茶怎么样？
Now let's take a short break． 现在我们休息一小会儿吧。
Give me a break. I have no taste for rock music． 饶了我吧。我不喜欢摇滚音乐。
032
break in 侵入；打断
重点解析 ▲ break in中的in为副词，该短语有两方面的含义：“侵入；破门而入”和“打断；插嘴”。作“打断；插嘴”讲时，in后面可接on引导的介词短语，引出打断的内容。
情景对话
Steven: A thief broke in when I was away yesterday.
Thomas: Sorry to hear that. Did you lose anything?
史蒂文：昨天我不在家的时候，小偷闯进了我家。
托马斯：听到这消息我很难过。有没有丢什么东西？
触类旁通
· break sb in 使某人适应新的工作或环境
· break sb/sth in 训练某人∕某物
· break into 打断；闯入；把……分成
例句再现
There are signs of somebody trying to break in． 存在有人试图闯入的痕迹。
The robber broke in through the unlocked window． 盗贼从未上锁的窗户闯了进来。
Never break in when he is talking． 他讲话时，千万不要打断他。
Is it impolite to break in when someone is talking？ 别人正在讲话时插嘴是否不礼貌？
At that moment he arrived and broke in on my thought． 正在那时他到了，打断了我的思路。
033
break off 脱离；结束
重点解析 ▲ break off中的off既可被看作副词，也可被看作介词。off作副词时，表示“从……分离”，需要在off后面加介词from。off作介词时，其后可直接加名词，指“结束……”的意思。
情景对话
Jack: You think somebody broke off the branch?
Julia: It's possible. But I'm not sure.
杰克：你认为是有人把树枝折断？
茱莉娅：有可能。但是我不确定。
触类旁通
· break off with与……断绝交往
· break it off with sb与某人中断关系
· break off sth 突然结束某事
例句再现
Little pieces break off from rocks． 碎片从岩石上脱落。
When the boss came in, she had to break off． 老板进来时，她不得不停下来。
They decided to break off negotiation since neither side was willing to make concessions.
由于双方都不愿做出让步，他们决定停止谈判。
She decided to break it off with him after that． 从那之后她决定与他断绝来往。
034
break one's heart 使某人伤心
重点解析 ▲ break one's heart表示“使某人伤心”，而heartbreaker则表示“令人伤心的人或物”, heart-broken为形容词，意为“心碎的；伤心的”。
情景对话
Kate: How could he do such things to deliberately break her heart?
Linda: I believe he must have some secret sorrow.
凯特：他怎么能做这些事故意伤她的心呢？
琳达：我相信他一定是有难言之隐。
触类旁通
· It breaks my heart to... ……真让我伤心。
例句再现
The death of her pet dog broke her heart． 她为宠物狗的去世而伤心。
It broke her heart when he said goodbye． 他说再见时她心都碎了。
We were certain that it would break his heart． 我们确定这件事会让他伤心。
She decided to leave the man who had broken her heart． 她决定离开那个令她心碎的男人。
035
break one's leg 摔断腿
重点解析 ▲该词组中break表示“折断（骨头）”，为及物动词，break还可以作不及物动词，此时表示“折断”时，主语多为bone(s)。
情景对话
Owen: I hear Rose met with a car accident. How did it happen?
Shelley: Well, she was knocked over by an oncoming car and broke her leg.
欧文：听说罗丝出车祸了，到底是怎么回事？
雪莱：嗯，她被迎面驶来的一辆车撞到，摔断了腿。
触类旁通
· break a leg （祝愿演员演出成功）祝好运
· break one's neck 折颈而死；拼命做某事
· break one's arm 折断胳膊
例句再现
He fell off the tree and broke his leg． 他从树上掉了下来，摔断了腿。
Jessica broke her leg when skiing． 杰西卡滑雪时摔断了腿。
He didn't go because he broke his leg a week ago． 他没有去是因为他一周前摔断了腿。
I broke my neck trying to finish the work before the deadline． 我拼命想在截止日期前完成工作。
036
break one's promise 食言，不遵守约定
重点解析 ▲ break表示“破坏，违反”时，后面可跟表示“规则、承诺或协议”的单词。one's根据语境换成相应的物主代词或所有格。
情景对话
Jones: I should not have trusted them.
Lucy: I told you they would certainly break their promise.
琼斯：我不应该相信他们。
露西：我告诉过你他们肯定会违背诺言的。
触类旁通
· broke silence 打破沉默
· break the record 打破记录
· break the rules 违反规定
· break the law 违法
例句再现
It's likely he will break his promise． 他有可能会食言。
You have my word; I would never break my promise． 我向你保证，我绝不违背诺言。
He is a person who never breaks his promise． 他是一个从不违背诺言的人。
I'm sorry to break my promise． 很抱歉我要违背我的承诺了。
Will you sit by when other people break the law？ 当其他人犯法时，你会坐视不管吗？
037
break out 出现，发生，突然爆发
重点解析 ▲短语break out中的out为副词，多用来指战争、打斗、火灾等事件的“突然发生”。break out后跟介词into则表示“生长；突然发出”。
情景对话
Jim: A fire broke out last night in this building.
Lily: I've heard about that. But fortunately, no one got hurt.
吉姆：昨天晚上这栋楼突然着火了。
莉莉：我听说了。不过幸运的是没有人受伤。
触类旁通
· break out of 逃出
· break out of an encirclement 突围
· break out in sth 突然被布满某物
· break out in cold sweat 冒出一身冷汗
例句再现
Do you know when the Cold War broke out？ 你知道冷战爆发的时间吗？
A fight broke out in the middle of the night on that street． 半夜的时候那条街上发生了斗殴事件。
When fire broke out, nobody was in the room． 火灾发生时，房间里没有人。
She has been trying to break out of this way of life． 她一直都试图摆脱这种生活方式。
Embarrassed, the woman broke out into curses． 那女人感到尴尬，突然就咒骂起来。
038
break the news to sb 向某人传达消息
重点解析 ▲介词to后跟“传达消息”的对象，即sb，多指以委婉的方式，将坏消息透露或告知某人。break the news 后面还可跟that引导的从句，引出消息的具体内容。
情景对话
Martin: When do you plan to break the news to your family?
Newman: I don't know. At least not right away.
马丁：你打算什么时候告诉你家人这件事？
纽曼：我不知道，至少不是现在。
触类旁通
· break news 新闻快讯
· breaking news 突发新闻
· break the news of 透露关于……的消息
例句再现
Are you going to break the news to her or not？ 你会不会把这个消息告诉她？
I really don't know how to break the news to them． 我真的不知道该如何告诉他们这个消息。
At this point, we have to break the news． 现在，我们不得不透露这个消息了。
He broke the news that he was leaving for greener pastures． 他透露他要另谋高就的消息。
Considering her poor health, they dare not break the news to her.
考虑到她身体不好，他们不敢向她透露这个消息。
039
break up 分裂；分手
重点解析 ▲ sth breaks up或break up sth均可表示“分裂，拆分”，而break up单独使用时，可用来表示恋人分手或夫妻结束婚姻关系，后面接分手的对象时，须在up后面加介词with。
情景对话
Kate: What happened between you and Mike?
Louise: We broke up, for he didn't want to get married.
凯特：你和麦克之间发生了什么事？
路易丝：他不想结婚，所以我们分手了。
触类旁通
· break up into 分成
· break up the meeting 散会
· break up the fight 制止斗殴
例句再现
Tear gas is used to break up the demonstration． 催泪瓦斯被用来驱散示威人群。
Her boyfriend has just broken up with her． 她男朋友刚和她分手。
I heard you broke up last month． 我听说你们上个月分手了。
Why does he want to break up with you？ 他为何想要和你分手？