break-in

American  

[breyk-in] / ˈbreɪkˌɪn /

noun

1. an illegal entry into a home, car, office, etc.

2. break-in period.

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break in British  

verb

1. (sometimes foll by on) to interrupt

2. (intr) to enter a house, etc, illegally, esp by force

3. (tr) to accustom (a person or animal) to normal duties or practice

4. (tr) to use or wear (shoes, new equipment, etc) until comfortable or running smoothly

5. (tr) to bring (new land) under cultivation

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noun

1. 1. the illegal entering of a building, esp by thieves

   2. ( as modifier )

      the break-in plans

break in Idioms  

1. Enter by force, as in The thieves broke in through the back door . [Mid-1500s] Also see break into .

2. Also, break in on . Interrupt or disturb something unexpectedly, as in His assistant broke in with the bad news just as we were ready to sign the agreement , or He broke in on our private talks . [Mid-1600s]

3. Train or instruct someone in a new job or enterprise, as in Every semester she had to break in a new teaching assistant . [Late 1700s]

4. Loosen or soften with use, as in It takes a while to break in a pair of new shoes .

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Etymology

Origin of break-in

First recorded in 1855–60; noun use of verb phrase break in

Example Sentences

"Supposedly, this is the third break-in he's had," said Officer Samantha Martin.

From BBC

Four of the group are accused of playing roles in the break-in to an Israeli-linked defence firm in 2024 and are due to go on trial in May next year at the earliest.

From BBC

Tomos, who has worked at Canna Deli for nine years and owned it for the past three, described the break-in as "gutting" and said he had never experienced so much crime.

From BBC

His parents, both aged 80, slept through the break-in.

From BBC

The break-in triggered an alarm, but an employee who checked on it entered through a side door for staff and didn’t notice anything unusual, White said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• burglary
• robbery