break out phrasal verb ( see also ↑ break )
1 . if something unpleasant such as a fire, fight, or war breaks out, it starts to happen:
I was still living in London when the war broke out.
Does everyone know what to do if a fire breaks out?
Fighting broke out between demonstrators and the police.
⇨ ↑ outbreak
2 . to escape from a prison
break out of
Three men have broken out of a top-security jail.
⇨ ↑ breakout
3 . to change the way you live because you feel bored
break out of
She felt the need to break out of her daily routine.
4 . break out in spots/a rash/a sweat etc if you break out in spots etc, they appear on your skin:
I broke out in a painful rash.
My whole body broke out in a sweat.