View synonyms for break down

break down

verb

intr to cease to function; become ineffective
communications had broken down
to yield or cause to yield, esp to strong emotion or tears
she broke down in anguish
tr to crush or destroy
intr to have a nervous breakdown
to analyse or be subjected to analysis
to separate or cause to separate into simpler chemical elements; decompose
tr to saw (a large log) into planks
break it down informal.
1. stop it
2. don't expect me to believe that; come off it

an act or instance of breaking down; collapse
short for nervous breakdown
an analysis or classification of something into its component parts
he prepared a breakdown of the report
the sudden electrical discharge through an insulator or between two electrodes in a vacuum or gas discharge tube
electrical engineering the sudden transition, dependent on the bias magnitude, from a high to a low dynamic resistance in a semiconductor device
a lively American country dance

Eggs, he says, are a good source of cysteine, an amino acid that helps the liver break down alcohol faster.

Given a choice, and not just a philosophical one, performers could break down modern day stigmas.

From the militia perspective, the Shia factions in Iraq break down as follows.

I hoped the U.S. government would break down every door in Baghdad to get me back.

It just was so much fun to break down the moments of that scene with her.

I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be wasted: I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down.

All her scheming and fencing would have availed her nothing if she were to break down at the critical moment.

Their heart is divided: now they shall perish: he shall break down their idols, he shall destroy their altars.

With a great break-down of sobs, poor Chloe blubbered out, "S'pose I must."

I break down at every paragraph, I may observe; and lie here and sweat, till I can get one sentence wrung out after another.

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