To break the neck

To break the neck
Break Break (br[=a]k), v. t. [imp. {broke} (br[=o]k), (Obs. {Brake}); p. p. {Broken} (br[=o]"k'n), (Obs. {Broke}); p. pr. & vb. n. {Breaking}.] [OE. breken, AS. brecan; akin to OS. brekan, D. breken, OHG. brehhan, G. brechen, Icel. braka to creak, Sw. braka, br["a]kka to crack, Dan. br[ae]kke to break, Goth. brikan to break, L. frangere. Cf. {Bray} to pound, {Breach}, {Fragile}.] 1. To strain apart; to sever by fracture; to divide with violence; as, to break a rope or chain; to break a seal; to break an axle; to break rocks or coal; to break a lock. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. To lay open as by breaking; to divide; as, to break a package of goods. [1913 Webster]

3. To lay open, as a purpose; to disclose, divulge, or communicate. [1913 Webster]

Katharine, break thy mind to me. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

4. To infringe or violate, as an obligation, law, or promise. [1913 Webster]

Out, out, hyena! these are thy wonted arts . . . To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray. --Milton [1913 Webster]

5. To interrupt; to destroy the continuity of; to dissolve or terminate; as, to break silence; to break one's sleep; to break one's journey. [1913 Webster]

Go, release them, Ariel; My charms I'll break, their senses I'll restore. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

6. To destroy the completeness of; to remove a part from; as, to break a set. [1913 Webster]

7. To destroy the arrangement of; to throw into disorder; to pierce; as, the cavalry were not able to break the British squares. [1913 Webster]

8. To shatter to pieces; to reduce to fragments. [1913 Webster]

The victim broke in pieces the musical instruments with which he had solaced the hours of captivity. --Prescott. [1913 Webster]

9. To exchange for other money or currency of smaller denomination; as, to break a five dollar bill. [1913 Webster]

10. To destroy the strength, firmness, or consistency of; as, to break flax. [1913 Webster]

11. To weaken or impair, as health, spirit, or mind. [1913 Webster]

An old man, broken with the storms of state. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

12. To diminish the force of; to lessen the shock of, as a fall or blow. [1913 Webster]

I'll rather leap down first, and break your fall. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

13. To impart, as news or information; to broach; -- with to, and often with a modified word implying some reserve; as, to break the news gently to the widow; to break a purpose cautiously to a friend. [1913 Webster]

14. To tame; to reduce to subjection; to make tractable; to discipline; as, to break a horse to the harness or saddle. ``To break a colt.'' --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

Why, then thou canst not break her to the lute? --Shak. [1913 Webster]

15. To destroy the financial credit of; to make bankrupt; to ruin. [1913 Webster]

With arts like these rich Matho, when he speaks, Attracts all fees, and little lawyers breaks. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

16. To destroy the official character and standing of; to cashier; to dismiss. [1913 Webster]

I see a great officer broken. --Swift. [1913 Webster]

Note: With prepositions or adverbs: [1913 Webster]

{To break down}. (a) To crush; to overwhelm; as, to break down one's strength; to break down opposition. (b) To remove, or open a way through, by breaking; as, to break down a door or wall.

{To break in}. (a) To force in; as, to break in a door. (b) To train; to discipline; as, a horse well broken in.

{To break of}, to rid of; to cause to abandon; as, to break one of a habit.

{To break off}. (a) To separate by breaking; as, to break off a twig. (b) To stop suddenly; to abandon. ``Break off thy sins by righteousness.'' --Dan. iv. 27.

{To break open}, to open by breaking. ``Open the door, or I will break it open.'' --Shak.

{To break out}, to take or force out by breaking; as, to break out a pane of glass.

{To break out a cargo}, to unstow a cargo, so as to unload it easily.

{To break through}. (a) To make an opening through, as, as by violence or the force of gravity; to pass violently through; as, to break through the enemy's lines; to break through the ice. (b) To disregard; as, to break through the ceremony.

{To break up}. (a) To separate into parts; to plow (new or fallow ground). ``Break up this capon.'' --Shak. ``Break up your fallow ground.'' --Jer. iv. 3. (b) To dissolve; to put an end to. ``Break up the court.'' --Shak.

{To break} (one) {all up}, to unsettle or disconcert completely; to upset. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

Note: With an immediate object: [1913 Webster]

{To break the back}. (a) To dislocate the backbone; hence, to disable totally. (b) To get through the worst part of; as, to break the back of a difficult undertaking.

{To break bulk}, to destroy the entirety of a load by removing a portion of it; to begin to unload; also, to transfer in detail, as from boats to cars.

{To break a code} to discover a method to convert coded messages into the original understandable text.

{To break cover}, to burst forth from a protecting concealment, as game when hunted.

{To break a deer} or {To break a stag}, to cut it up and apportion the parts among those entitled to a share.

{To break fast}, to partake of food after abstinence. See {Breakfast}.

{To break ground}. (a) To open the earth as for planting; to commence excavation, as for building, siege operations, and the like; as, to break ground for a foundation, a canal, or a railroad. (b) Fig.: To begin to execute any plan. (c) (Naut.) To release the anchor from the bottom.

{To break the heart}, to crush or overwhelm (one) with grief.

{To break a house} (Law), to remove or set aside with violence and a felonious intent any part of a house or of the fastenings provided to secure it.

{To break the ice}, to get through first difficulties; to overcome obstacles and make a beginning; to introduce a subject.

{To break jail}, to escape from confinement in jail, usually by forcible means.

{To break a jest}, to utter a jest. ``Patroclus . . . the livelong day breaks scurril jests.'' --Shak.

{To break joints}, to lay or arrange bricks, shingles, etc., so that the joints in one course shall not coincide with those in the preceding course.

{To break a lance}, to engage in a tilt or contest.

{To break the neck}, to dislocate the joints of the neck.

{To break no squares}, to create no trouble. [Obs.]

{To break a path}, {road}, etc., to open a way through obstacles by force or labor.

{To break upon a wheel}, to execute or torture, as a criminal by stretching him upon a wheel, and breaking his limbs with an iron bar; -- a mode of punishment formerly employed in some countries.

{To break wind}, to give vent to wind from the anus. [1913 Webster]

Syn: To dispart; rend; tear; shatter; batter; violate; infringe; demolish; destroy; burst; dislocate. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • To break the neck of — Neck Neck (n[e^]k), n. [OE. necke, AS. hnecca; akin to D. nek the nape of the neck, G. nacken, OHG. nacch, hnacch, Icel. hnakki, Sw. nacke, Dan. nakke.] 1. The part of an animal which connects the head and the trunk, and which, in man and many… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • break the neck — kill, murder …   English contemporary dictionary

  • To harden the neck — Neck Neck (n[e^]k), n. [OE. necke, AS. hnecca; akin to D. nek the nape of the neck, G. nacken, OHG. nacch, hnacch, Icel. hnakki, Sw. nacke, Dan. nakke.] 1. The part of an animal which connects the head and the trunk, and which, in man and many… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • On the neck of — Neck Neck (n[e^]k), n. [OE. necke, AS. hnecca; akin to D. nek the nape of the neck, G. nacken, OHG. nacch, hnacch, Icel. hnakki, Sw. nacke, Dan. nakke.] 1. The part of an animal which connects the head and the trunk, and which, in man and many… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To tread on the neck of — Neck Neck (n[e^]k), n. [OE. necke, AS. hnecca; akin to D. nek the nape of the neck, G. nacken, OHG. nacch, hnacch, Icel. hnakki, Sw. nacke, Dan. nakke.] 1. The part of an animal which connects the head and the trunk, and which, in man and many… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To break the back — Break Break (br[=a]k), v. t. [imp. {broke} (br[=o]k), (Obs. {Brake}); p. p. {Broken} (br[=o] k n), (Obs. {Broke}); p. pr. & vb. n. {Breaking}.] [OE. breken, AS. brecan; akin to OS. brekan, D. breken, OHG. brehhan, G. brechen, Icel. braka to creak …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To break the heart — Break Break (br[=a]k), v. t. [imp. {broke} (br[=o]k), (Obs. {Brake}); p. p. {Broken} (br[=o] k n), (Obs. {Broke}); p. pr. & vb. n. {Breaking}.] [OE. breken, AS. brecan; akin to OS. brekan, D. breken, OHG. brehhan, G. brechen, Icel. braka to creak …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To break the ice — Break Break (br[=a]k), v. t. [imp. {broke} (br[=o]k), (Obs. {Brake}); p. p. {Broken} (br[=o] k n), (Obs. {Broke}); p. pr. & vb. n. {Breaking}.] [OE. breken, AS. brecan; akin to OS. brekan, D. breken, OHG. brehhan, G. brechen, Icel. braka to creak …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Break Ya Neck — Infobox Single Name = Break Ya Neck B side = As I Come Back Artist = Busta Rhymes from Album = Genesis B side = Released = September 25, 2001 Format = CD Recorded = Genre = Rap Length = 3:51 Label = J Records Writer = Trevor Smith Producer = Dr.… …   Wikipedia

  • devil on the neck — An instrument of torture, formerly used to extort confessions, etc. It was made of several irons, which were fastened to the neck and legs, and wrenched together so as to break the back …   Black's law dictionary

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