n.
Pronunciation: ' br ā -k ə - ˌ w ā
Function: noun
Date: 1881
1 a : one that breaks away b : a departure from or rejection of (as a group or tradition)
2 a : a play (as in hockey) in which an offensive player breaks free of the defenders and rushes toward the goal b : a sudden acceleration by one or more bicyclists pulling away from the pack in a race
3 : an object made to shatter or collapse under pressure or impact