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Share This break·down Audio Help / ˈbreɪkˌdaʊn / Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation [ breyk -doun] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun 1. a breaking down, wearing out, or sudden loss of ability to function efficiently, as of a machine.
3. an analysis or classification of something; division into parts, categories, processes, etc.
5. Electricity .
6. a noisy, lively folk dance.
[Origin:
1825–35; n. use of v. phrase
break down ]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. breakdown To learn more about
breakdown visit Britannica.com
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American Heritage Dictionary -
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Audio Help (brāk'doun') Pronunciation Key
The act or process of failing to function or continue.
The condition resulting from this: a breakdown in communication.
Electricity The abrupt failure of an insulator or insulating medium to restrict the flow of current.A typically sudden collapse in physical or mental health.
An analysis, an outline, or a summary consisting of itemized data or essentials.
Disintegration or decomposition into parts or elements.
A noisy, energetic American country dance.
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
WordNet -
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Share This breakdown noun 1. the act of disrupting an established order so it fails to continue; "the social dislocations resulting from government policies"; "his warning came after the breakdown of talks in London" [syn: dislocation ] 2. a mental or physical breakdown 3. a cessation of normal operation; "there was a power breakdown" 4. an analysis into mutually exclusive categories
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary -
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Share This ˈbreakdown 1 noun
(
often nervous breakdown ) a mental collapse
Arabic: إنهيار (عصبي) Chinese (Traditional): （精神）崩潰 Czech: zhroucení Danish: sammenbrud Dutch: instorting Estonian: närvivapustus Finnish: hermoromahdus French: dépression (nerveuse) German: der Zusammenbruch Greek: ψυχικός κλονισμός, κατάρρευση Hungarian: idegösszeomlás Icelandic: taugaáfall Indonesian: tekanan jiwa Italian: esaurimento Japanese: 神経衰弱
Korean: 신경쇠약 Latvian: sabrukums Lithuanian: (nervų) išsekimas Norwegian: (nerve)sammenbrudd Polish: roztrój (nerwowy) Portuguese (Brazil): colapso Portuguese (Portugal): colapso nervoso Romanian: depresie (nervoasă) Russian: нервное расстройство Slovak: zrútenie Slovenian: (živčni) zlom Spanish: colapso, crisis nerviosa Swedish: sammanbrott, kollaps Turkish: sinir zafiyeti, sinir krizi
ˈbreakdown 2 noun
a mechanical failure causing a stop break down
Example:
The car has had another breakdown. See also
Arabic: تعطُّـل Chinese (Traditional): 出故障 Czech: porucha, havárie Danish: sammenbrud Dutch: defect Estonian: masinarike Finnish: konerikko French: panne German: die Panne Greek: μηχανική βλάβη που προκαλεί παύση λειτουργίας Hungarian: üzemzavar, meghibásodás Icelandic: bilun Indonesian: mogok Italian: guasto Japanese: 故障
Korean: 고장 Latvian: tehniska kļūme Lithuanian: gedimas Norwegian: (maskin)havari, uhell Polish: awaria Portuguese (Brazil): avaria Portuguese (Portugal): avaria Romanian: pană Russian: (механическая) поломка Slovak: havária Slovenian: okvara Spanish: avería Swedish: motorstopp, haveri Turkish: bozulma, çalışmama
See also: break ,
break away ,
break down ,
break in(to) ,
break loose ,
break off ,
break out ,
break out in ,
break the ice ,
break up ,
breakable ,
breakage ,
breaker ,
breakneck ,
breakthrough ,
breakwater ,
make a break for it ,
"breakdown" in any language Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.
American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary -
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Share This breakdown break·down (brāk'doun')n.
The act or process of failing to function or continue. A typically sudden collapse in physical or mental health. Disintegration or decomposition into parts or elements.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary -
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1 break·down Pronunciation:
'brAk-"daun Function:
noun : the action or result of breaking down: as
a : afailure to function
b : a physical, mental, or nervous collapse
c : the process of decomposing <
breakdown of food during digestion>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary -
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2 breakdown Function:
adjective : obtained or resulting from disintegration or decomposition of a substance
breakdown product ofhemoglobin>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary -
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Break"down`\, n. 1. The act or result of breaking down, as of a carriage; downfall.
2. (a) A noisy, rapid, shuffling dance engaged in competitively by a number of persons or pairs in succession, as among the colored people of the Southern United States, and so called, perhaps, because the exercise is continued until most of those who take part in it break down. (b) Any rude, noisy dance performed by shuffling the feet, usually by one person at a time. [U.S.]
Don't clear out when the quadrilles are over, for we are going to have a breakdown to wind up with. --New Eng. Tales.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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