brake/break

brake (brāk)

Noun

• A device for slowing or stopping motion, as of a vehicle, especially by contact friction.
• Something that slows or stops action.

Verb. Transitive

• To reduce the speed of with or as if with a brake.

Verb. Intransitive

• To operate or apply a brake.
• To be slowed or stopped by or as if by the operation of a brake.

break (brāk)

Verb. Transitive

• To cause to separate into pieces suddenly or violently; smash.
• To divide into pieces, as by bending or cutting: break crackers for a baby.
• To separate into components or parts: broke the work into discrete tasks.
• To snap off or detach: broke a twig from the tree.
• To fracture a bone of: I broke my leg.

Verb. Intransitive

• To become separated into pieces or fragments.
• To become cracked or split.
• To become fractured: His arm broke from the fall.
• To become unusable or inoperative: The television broke.
• To give way; collapse: The scaffolding broke during the storm.

Noun

• The act or an occurrence of breaking.
• The result of breaking, as a crack, separation, or opening: a break in the clouds.
• The beginning or emergence of something: the break of day
• A sudden movement; a dash: The dog made a break toward the open field.
• An escape: a prison break.