break the record

Idioms & Phrases

break the record

  1. Surpass a previous achievement, as in He was determined to break the record for the high jump. This usage is applied primarily to sports of various kinds. [1880s]

  2. Move very fast, as in The lecture was so dull that we broke the record getting to the door: [Second half of 1900s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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