[break up] <v. phr.> To end a romantic relationship, a marriage, or a business partnership. * /Tom and Jane broke up because Tom played so much golf that he had no time for her./
[break up] <v.> 1. To break into pieces. * /The workmen broke up the pavement to dig up the pipes under it./ * /River ice breaks up in the spring./ 2. <informal> To lose or destroy spirit or self-control. - Usually used in the passive. * /Mrs. Lawrence was all broken up after her daughter's death, and did not go out of the house for two months./ Compare: CRACK UP, GO TO PIECES. 3. To come or to put to an end, especially by separation; separate. * /Some men kept interrupting the speakers, and finally broke up the meeting./ * /The party broke up at midnight./ - Often used in the informal phrase "break it up". * /The boys were fighting, and a passing policeman ordered them to break it up./ Compare: CUT OUT(1). 4. <informal> To stop being friends. * /Mary and June were good friends and did everything together, but then they had a quarrel and broke up/ Compare: BREAK OFF.
[break-up] <n.> The end of a relationship, personal or commercial. * /The break-up finally occurred when Smith and Brown decided to sue each other for embezzlement./
[break with] <v.> To separate yourself from; end membership in; stop friendly association with. * /He broke with the Democratic party on the question of civil rights./ * /He had broken with some friends who had changed in their ideas./
[breast] See: MAKE A CLEAN BREAST OF.
[breath] See: CATCH ONE'S BREATH, DRAW A LONG BREATH or TAKE A LONG BREATH, HOLD ONE'S BREATH, IN THE SAME BREATH, OUT OF BREATH, SAVE ONE'S BREATH, SECOND WIND also SECOND BREATH, TAKE ONE'S BREATH AWAY, UNDER ONE'S BREATH, WASTE ONE'S BREATH.
[breathe down one's neck] <v. phr.>, <informal> To follow closely; threaten from behind; watch every action. * /Too many creditors were breathing down his neck./ * /The carpenter didn't like to work for Mr. Jones, who was always breathing down his neck./
[breathe easily] or [breathe freely] <v.> To have relief from difficulty or worry; relax; feel that trouble is gone; stop worrying. * /Now that the big bills were paid, he breathed more easily./ * /His mother didn't breathe easily until he got home that night./
[breathe one's last] <v. phr.> To die. * /The wounded soldier fell back on the ground and breathed his last./
[bred in the bone] <adj. phr.> Belonging to your nature or character, especially from early teaching or long habit; natural from belief or habit; believing deeply. * /The Willett children's cleanness is bred in the none./ Often used, with hyphens before the noun. * /Joe is a bred-in-the-bone horseman; he has been riding since he was six./ Contrast: SKIN-DEEP.
[breeches] See: TOO BIG FOR ONE'S BREECHES.
[breeze] See: SHOOT THE BREEZE or BAT THE BREEZE or FAN THE BREEZE, WIN IN A WALK or WIN IN A BREEZE.
[breeze in] <v. phr.>, <slang>, <informal> To walk into a place casually (like a soft blowing wind). * /Betsie breezed in and sat down at the bar./
[brew] See: HOME BREW.
[brick] See: MAKE BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW.
[brick wall] See: STONE WALL.
[bridge] See: BURN ONE'S BRIDGES, CROSS A BRIDGE BEFORE ONE COMES TO IT, WATER OVER THE DAM or WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.
[brief] See: HOLD A BRIEF FOR, IN BRIEF or IN SHORT or IN A WORD.
[bright and early] <adj. phr.> Prompt and alert; on time and ready; cheerful and on time or before time. * /He came down bright and early to breakfast./ * /She arrived bright and early for the appointment./
[bring about] <v.> To cause; produce; lead to. * /The war had brought about great changes in living./ * /Drink brought about his downfall./
[bring around] or [bring round] <v.> 1. <informal> To restore to health or consciousness cure. * /He was quite ill, but good nursing brought him around./ Compare: BRING TO(1). 2. To cause a change in thinking; persuade; convince; make willing. * /After a good deal of discussion he brought her round to his way of thinking./
[bringdown] <n.>, <slang>, <informal> 1. (from "bring down", past "brought down"). A critical or cutting remark said sarcastically in order to deflate a braggard's ego. * /John always utters the right bringdown when he encounters a braggard./ 2. A person who depresses and saddens others by being a chronic complainer. * /John is a regular bringdown./
[bring down] <v. phr.>, <slang>, <informal> 1. To deflate (someone's ego). * /John brought Ted down very cleverly with his remarks./ 2. To depress (someone). * /The funeral brought me down completely./
[bring down about one's ears] or [bring down around one's ears] See: ABOUT ONE'S EARS.
[bring down the house] <v. phr.>, <informal> To start an audience laughing or clapping enthusiastically. * /The principal's story was funny in itself and also touched their loyalties, so it brought down the house./ * /The President made a fine speech which brought down the house./
[bring home] <v.> To show clearly; emphasize; make (someone) realize; demonstrate. * /The accident caused a death in his family, and it brought home to him the evil of drinking while driving./ * /A parent or teacher should bring home to children the value and pleasure of reading./
[bring home the bacon] <v. phr.>, <informal> 1. To support your family; earn the family living. * /He was a steady fellow, who always brought home the bacon./ 2. To win a game or prize. * /The football team brought home the bacon./
[bring in] <v.> In baseball: To enable men on base to score, score. * /Dick's hit brought in both base runners./ * /A walk and a triple brought in a run in the third inning./
[bring into line] <v. phr.> To make someone conform to the accepted standard. * /Sam had to be brought into line when he refused to take his muddy shoes off the cocktail table./
[bring off] <v.> To do (something difficult); perform successfully (an act of skill); accomplish (something requiring unusual ability). * /By skillful discussion, Mr. White had brought off an agreement that had seemed impossible to get./ * /He tried several times to break the high jump record, and finally he brought it off./ Compare: PUT OVER(2).
[bring on] <v.> To result in; cause; produce. * /The murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in the summer of 1914 brought on the First World War./ * /Spinal meningitis brought on John's deafness when he was six years old./ * /Reading in a poor light may bring on a headache./
[bring out] <v.> 1. To cause to appear; make clear. * /His report brought out the foolishness of the plan./ * /Brushing will bring out the beauty of your hair./ 2. To help (an ability or skill) grow or develop. * /The teacher's coaching brought out a wonderful singing voice of great power and warmth./ 3. To offer to the public by producing, publishing, or selling. * /He brought out a new play./ * /The company brought out a line of light personal airplanes./
[bring round] See: BRING AROUND.
[bring suit against] <v. phr.> To sue someone in a court of law. * /Fred brought suit against Tom for fraud and embezzlement./
[bring to] <v.> (stress on "to") 1. To restore to consciousness; wake from sleep, anesthesia, hypnosis, or fainting. * /Smelling salts will often bring a fainting person to./ Compare: BRING AROUND(1). 2. To bring a ship or boat to a stop. * /Reaching the pier, he brought the boat smartly to./
[bring to a close] <v. phr.> To terminate; cause to end. * /The meeting was brought to an abrupt close when the speaker collapsed with a heart attack./
[bring to a head] <v. phr.> To cause some activity to reach the point of culmination. * /Time is running out, gentlemen, so let us bring this discussion to a head./
[bring to bay] <v. phr.> To chase or force into a place where escape is impossible without a fight; trap; corner. * /The police brought the robber to bay on the roof and he gave up./ * /The fox was brought to bay in a hollow tree and the dogs stood around it barking./ Compare: AT BAY.
[bring to heel] See: TO HEEL.
[bring to light] <v. phr.> To discover (something hidden); find out about; expose. * /Many things left by the ancient Egyptians in tombs have been brought to light by scientists and explorers./ * /His enemies brought to light some foolish things he had done while young, but he was elected anyway because people trusted him./ Compare: COME TO LIGHT.
[bring to one's knees] <v. phr.> To seriously weaken the power or impair the function of. * /The fuel shortage brought the automobile industry to its knees./
[bring to pass] <v. phr.>, <informal> To make (something) happen; succeed in causing. * /By much planning, the mother brought the marriage to pass./ * /The change in the law was slow in coming, and it took a disaster to bring it to pass./ Compare: BRING ABOUT, COME TO PASS.
[bring to terms] <v. phr.> To make (someone) agree or do; make surrender. * /The two brothers were brought to terms by their father for riding the bicycle./ * /The war won't end until we bring the enemy to terms./ Contrast: COME TO TERMS.
[bring up] <v.> 1. To take care of (a child); raise, train, educate. * /He gave much attention and thought to bringing up his children./ * /Joe was born in Texas but brought up in Oklahoma./ 2. <informal> To stop; halt. - Usually used with "short". * /He brought the car up short when the light changed to red./ * /Bill started to complain, I brought him up short./ 3. To begin a discussion of; speak of; mention. * /At the class meeting Bob brought up the idea of a picnic./
[bring up the rear] <v. phr.> 1. To come last in a march, parade, or procession; end a line. * /The fire truck with Santa on it brought up the rear of the Christmas parade./ * /The governor and his staff brought up the rear of the parade./ 2. <informal> To do least well; do the most poorly of a group; be last. * /In the race, John brought up the rear./ * /In the basketball tournament, our team brought up the rear./
[bring] or [wheel in] or [out] or [up the big guns] <v. phr.> To make use of a concealed plan in order to defeat an opponent in an argument or in a game, debate, or competition. * /The new computer software company decided to bring out the big guns to get ahead of the competition./
[broke] See: GO BROKE, GO FOR BROKE, STONE-BROKE OT DEAD BROKE or FLAT BROKE, STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL'S BACK.
[Bronx cheer] <n. phr.>, <slang> A loud sound made with tongue and lips to show opposition or scorn. * /When he began to show anti-union feelings, he was greeted with Bronx cheers all around./
[broom] See: NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEAN.