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View synonyms for

breaking

1

[ brey-king ]

adjective

  1. (of a news story) currently developing or having happened recently and being released for publication or airing, as on television or radio, in print, or on the internet:

    Our network aims to be your trusted source for breaking news, local weather, and sports.

  2. coming into being suddenly:

    When I awoke, it was breaking day over the eastern horizon.

  3. changing or collapsing suddenly:

    This is a photograph of a breaking wave in the subantarctic waters of the Southern Ocean.



breaking

2

[ brey-king ]

noun

  1. Phonology. the change of a pure vowel to a diphthong, especially in certain environments, as, in Old English, the change of a vowel to a diphthong under the influence of a following consonant or combination of consonants, as the change of -a- to -ea- and of -e- to -eo- before preconsonantal r or l and before h, as in earm “arm” developed from arm, and eorthe “earth” from erthe.

breaking

3

[ brey-king ]

breaking

/ ˈɪɪŋ /

noun

  1. linguistics (in Old English, Old Norse, etc) the change of a vowel into a diphthong
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of breaking1

First recorded in 1930–35; break ( def ) (in the sense “to release a news story for publication”) + -ing 2( def )

Origin of breaking2

First recorded in 1870–75; translation of German Brechung; break, -ing 1

Origin of breaking3

First recorded in 1980–85; by ellipsis
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Word History and Origins

Origin of breaking1

C19: translation of German Brechung
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

I asked the group what they would say to people who criticise them for breaking the law.

From

We gave as much justice as the whole concept could take without breaking it.

From

They crumbled up spent blocks of mushroom spawn to further aid in breaking down the toxins.

From

"I read a heart breaking story about a mother who'd just moved into a house, and her young child got some splinters in his toes and was in quite a lot of pain," he said.

From

Wyle’s mother, Marjorie, told her son that she was watching an episode in which his character begins listing off the people who died in his care, ultimately reaching an emotional breaking point, Wyle said.

From

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break-inbreaking and entering