break down

break down

1. to stop working. Sometimes the heating system simply breaks down. Talks between the two countries broke down.

2. to become very emotional. I didn't know anyone who was killed, but I still broke down and cried when I heard about the bombings.

3. to lose strength or determination. He didn't want to go, but in April he broke down and accompanied his wife and two children to Disneyland.

See also: break, down

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break down someone

1. to cause someone to become emotional. Andy broke down and cried several times during his retirement speech.

2. to weaken someone. I felt so good, I felt like nothing could break me down or make me sick.

See also: break, down

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break down something

1. to divide something into smaller parts. The quickest way to get this job done is to break it down into a number of specific steps.

2. to cause something to weaken or decay. Temperatures were high enough to break down the chemicals. One sniff of that chocolate was enough to break down my determination not to eat sweets.

3. to explain something. Let me break it down for you — when a dog shows its teeth, it's about to attack you.

See also: break, down