break down

break someone down

to force someone to give up and tell secrets or agree to do something. After threats of torture, they broke the spy down. They broke down the agent by threatening violence.

See also: break

break something down 

1. Lit. to tear something down; to destroy something. They used an ax to break the door down. We broke down the wall with big hammers.

2. Fig. to destroy a social or legal barrier. The court broke a number of legal barriers down this week. They had to break down many social prejudices to manage to succeed.

See also: break

break something down (into something)

1. to reduce a compound or its structure to its components. Heat will break this down into sodium and a few gases. Will heat break down this substance into anything useful? We broke it into little pieces.

2. to reduce a large numerical total to its subparts and explain each one. She broke the total down into its components. Please break down the total into its parts again. I'll break the total down for you.

3. to discuss the details of something by examining its subparts. (See also break something down (for someone).) Let's break this problem down into its parts and deal with each one separately. Breaking down complex problems into their components is almost fun. Let's break this issue down and discuss it.

See also: break

break down (and cry)

to surrender to demands or emotions and cry. Max finally broke down and confessed. I was afraid I would break down and cry from the sadness I felt.

See also: break

---

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

break down somebody also break somebody down

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

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

See also: break

break down something also break something down

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

3. 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.

See also: break