[General] break with/ break through/ break out/ break down/

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vil

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Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expressions in bold in the following sentences?

What made you break with your best friend?

It can not be the Volsces dare break with us.

If she did not intend to marry Clive, she should have broken with him altogether.

I will break with her and with her father.

break with = separate from, to sever one's relations with; to part friendship

The feeble attempt of the boy to break through the locked door of the shed came to nothing.

The towering 25-year-old Dungannon man is now about to break through the elusive century barrier on the Sony ladder.

A true friend helps us to break through the barriers of self-deceit.

break through = penetrate a barrier or obstruction

If it is urgent we’ll have to break open the cabinet, for I have mislaid the key and won’t be able to find it in an instant.

break open = open with force

When the epidemic broke out all the doctors of the region had to join their efforts to break it down.

break out = develop suddenly and forcefully

break down = demolish, destroy, either physically or figuratively

The governor's speeches broke down the teachers' opposition to school reform.

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.
 

TheParser

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Dec 8, 2009
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Other
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English
Home Country
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Current Location
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Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expressions in bold in the following sentences?

What made you break with your best friend?

It can not be the Volsces dare break with us.

If she did not intend to marry Clive, she should have broken with him altogether.

I will break with her and with her father.

break with = separate from, to sever one's relations with; to part friendship

The feeble attempt of the boy to break through the locked door of the shed came to nothing.

The towering 25-year-old Dungannon man is now about to break through the elusive century barrier on the Sony ladder.

A true friend helps us to break through the barriers of self-deceit.

break through = penetrate a barrier or obstruction

If it is urgent we’ll have to break open the cabinet, for I have mislaid the key and won’t be able to find it in an instant.

break open = open with force

When the epidemic broke out all the doctors of the region had to join their efforts to break it down.

break out = develop suddenly and forcefully

break down = demolish, destroy, either physically or figuratively

The governor's speeches broke down the teachers' opposition to school reform.

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.


***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Good morning.

(1) Your sentences seem fine.

(2) I was just a little concerned with two of them:

What made you break with your best friend?
She should have broken with him altogether.

(a) I guess those sentences are considered proper English.

(b) But I think (ONLY my opinion) that they would sound more idiomatic to Americans if you used "break up" : Mona has been very depressed since she broke up with Tony.

(3) I know from your posts that you are a really serious student of English. If you get time, you may wish to study the "break up with" construction by googling various websites.

(4) Also, please check out "break off" : Country X threatens to break off relations with Country Y.



Have a nice day!
 
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