English Explanatory Dictionary

breakdown

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A failure, particularly one which is mechanical in nature.
  2. The sudden (and usually damaging) transition of an electrical insulator to a conductor when subjected to a sufficiently strong voltage, caused by the partial or complete ionization of the insulator; (countable) an instance of this; also, the minimum voltage at which this occurs.
  3. Something, such as a vehicle, that has experienced a mechanical failure.
  4. Separation of a thing into components; decomposition, fragmentation; (countable) an instance of this.
  5. Detailed categorization, or itemization or listing, of the components of a thing; (countable) an instance of this.
  6. Breaking of chemical bonds within a compound to produce simpler compounds or elements; (countable) an instance of this.
  7. A detailed description of a forthcoming project or screenplay which identifies all the required elements, such as the cast, costumes, equipment, props, and special effects.
  8. A failure in a relationship; a failure or loss of organization in a system.
  9. (Sudden) worsening of physical health or (more commonly) mental stability, resulting in an inability to carry on normal activities; (countable) an instance of this.
  10. Injury to a horse's leg causing lameness; (countable) an instance of this.
  11. The short period of open play immediately after a tackle and before and during the ensuing ruck.
  12. An act of splitting logs of wood using a large saw in a sawmill; also, the saw used; or (rare) the building in which the process is carried out.

Pronunciation

/ˈbɹeɪkdaʊn/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-breakdown.wav /ˈbɹeɪkˌdaʊn/ /bɹɛk.duːn/

Word forms

breakdown breakdowns break-down

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰreg-der. Proto-Germanic *brekaną Proto-West Germanic *brekan Old English brecan Middle English breken English break Old English of- Proto-Germanic *dūnaz? Proto-Indo-European *dewh₂- Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *duh₂-nós? Proto-Celtic *dūnomder.? Proto-West Germanic *dūnā Old English dūne Old English ofdūne Old English adūne Old English dūne Middle English doun English down English break downdeverb. English breakdown Deverbal from break down.

Synonyms

percussion break

Related words

break down break it down meltdown

Derived words

breakdown crane breakdown lane breakdown lorry breakdown truck breakdown point breakdown voltage climate breakdown electrical breakdown mental breakdown nervous breakdown organizational breakdown structure product breakdown structure

Translations

Azerbaijani: sınma Bulgarian: ава́рия Bulgarian: повреда Bulgarian: счупване Catalan: avaria Catalan: pana Chinese Mandarin: 故障 Dutch: defect Dutch: mankement Dutch: panne Dutch: stilstand Esperanto: paneo Finnish: rikko Finnish: rikkoontuminen Finnish: rikkoutuminen Finnish: vika Finnish: vikaantuminen French: panne German: Betriebsstörung German: Panne Greek: κατάρρευση Greek: βλάβη Hebrew: התקלקלות Hungarian: meghibásodás Hungarian: üzemzavar Irish: cliseadh Italian: avaria Italian: collasso Italian: guasto Japanese: 故障 Korean: 고장 Marathi: विभंग Norwegian Bokmål: havari Norwegian Nynorsk: havari Polish: awaria Portuguese: avaria Russian: ава́рия Russian: поло́мка Russian: поврежде́ние Slovak: havária Slovak: porucha Spanish: avería Spanish: descompostura Spanish: pana Spanish: panne Swedish: haveri Tagalog: aberya
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