1.
If a machine or a vehicle breaks down , it stops working.
Their car broke down.
PHRASAL VERB : V P
2.
If a discussion, relationship, or system breaks down , it fails because of a problem or disagreement.
Talks with business leaders broke down last night...
Paola’s marriage broke down.
PHRASAL VERB : V P , V P
3.
To break down something such as an idea or statement means to separate it into smaller parts in order to make it easier to understand or deal with.
The report breaks down the results region by region...
These rules tell us how a sentence is broken down into phrases.
PHRASAL VERB : V P n (not pron) , be V-ed P into n , also V n P into n
4.
When a substance breaks down or when something breaks it down , a biological or chemical process causes it to separate into the substances which make it up.
Over time, the protein in the eggshell breaks down into its constituent amino acids...
The oil is attacked by naturally occurring microbes which break it down.
PHRASAL VERB : V P , V n P , also V P n (not pron)
5.
If someone breaks down , they lose control of themselves and start crying.
Because he was being so kind and concerned, I broke down and cried...
PHRASAL VERB : V P
6.
If you break down a door or barrier, you hit it so hard that it falls to the ground.
An unruly mob broke down police barricades and stormed the courtroom...
Firemen were called after his father failed to break the door down.
PHRASAL VERB : V P n (not pron) , V n P
7.
To break down barriers or prejudices that separate people or restrict their freedom means to change people’s attitudes so that the barriers or prejudices no longer exist.
His early experience enabled him to break down barriers between Scottish Catholics and Protestants.
PHRASAL VERB : V P n (not pron) , also V n P [ approval ]
8.
see also breakdown , broken-down