breaking

¹

[brey-king]

adjective

1. (of a news story) currently developing or having happened recently and being released for publication or airing, as on television or radio, in print, or on the internet.

   Our network aims to be your trusted source for breaking news, local weather, and sports.

2. coming into being suddenly.

   When I awoke, it was breaking day over the eastern horizon.

3. changing or collapsing suddenly.

   This is a photograph of a breaking wave in the subantarctic waters of the Southern Ocean.

breaking

²

[brey-king]

noun

1. Phonology.,  the change of a pure vowel to a diphthong, especially in certain environments, as, in Old English, the change of a vowel to a diphthong under the influence of a following consonant or combination of consonants, as the change of -a- to -ea- and of -e- to -eo- before preconsonantal r or l and before h, as in earm “arm” developed from arm, and eorthe “earth” from erthe.

breaking

³

[brey-king]

noun

1. break dancing.

breaking

/ ˈbreɪkɪŋ /

noun

1. linguistics (in Old English, Old Norse, etc) the change of a vowel into a diphthong

Word History and Origins

Origin of breaking¹

First recorded in 1930–35; break ( def. ) (in the sense “to release a news story for publication”) + -ing ² ( def. )

Origin of breaking²

First recorded in 1870–75; translation of German Brechung; break, -ing ¹

Origin of breaking³

First recorded in 1980–85; by ellipsis

Word History and Origins

Origin of breaking¹

C19: translation of German Brechung

Example Sentences

Discovery after it possibly splits is unlikely, “we can certainly see how the WBD Board could foresee a bidding war breaking out, driving the need for Paramount to meaningfully overpay for WBD .”

Read more on Barron's

“It’s breaking down the state, undermining the state fiscus and then hitting Black and white entrepreneurship.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But that doesn’t stop the thieves from breaking down the jewels and selling off the stones.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He says he hesitated, worried about breaking the rule, but Radner insisted.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Practical ways to build control include focusing on what's within reach, breaking large challenges into smaller steps, and using time blocking or lists to track progress.

Read more on Science Daily