Meaning of "don't break at all"

Status
Not open for further replies.

Winwin2011

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Hong Kong
Current Location
Hong Kong
There are big waves and little waves,
Green waves and blue.
Waves you can jump over,
Waves you dive through,
Waves that rise up
Like a great water wall,
Waves that swell softly
And don't break at all,
Waves that can whisper,
Waves that can roar,
And tiny waves that run at you
Running on the shore.

By
Eleanor Farjeon

What does "[FONT=&#26032]And don't break at all
[FONT=&#26032]" mean in the above poem. Could anybody help, please?[/FONT]
[/FONT]
 

Winwin2011

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
Hong Kong
Current Location
Hong Kong
break verb (WAVES) - definition in British English Dictionary & Thesaurus - Cambridge Dictionary Online

[I usually + adverb or preposition] (of waves) to reach and move over the beach, hit a cliff or wall, etc.
A huge wave broke on/against the shore/over the boat.

break - definition. American English definition of break by Macmillan Dictionary

[intransitive] if waves break, they reach their highest point and start to fall

As I am not good at English, I find the above definitions are very difficult to explain to a child. Could anyone make the meaning simple? i.e [FONT=&#26032]And don't break at all.

Thanks.

[/FONT]
 

JMurray

Key Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2010
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
English
Home Country
New Zealand
Current Location
Australia
Waves often move through the water by creating a smoothly shaped swell on the surface. When this swell reaches a beach or is made to rise higher by wind or currents, for example, the swell can break out of its smooth shape causing a crest of water and foam to fall. This is when a wave breaks. Some waves swell up and move across the surface and then die down without ever breaking. These are the "waves that swell softly and don't break at all".

not a teacher
 

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
HERE is a picture of swelling waves.

The top one is beginning to break on the right hand side.

Rover
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top