break-in

[breyk-in]

noun

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

2. break-in period.

break in

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

noun

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

   2. ( as modifier )

      the break-in plans

Word History and Origins

Origin of break in¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

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

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]

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]

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

Example Sentences

A gunman opened fire at Drake’s home in Toronto, wounding a security guard, and there were break-in attempts at the house, according to the suit.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

South Wales Police said a police helicopter arrived at the museum within five minutes of the break-in in the early hours of 6 October.

Read more on BBC

Earlier on Tuesday, Jane Richardson, chief executive of National Museum Wales, described footage of the break-in as "emotional to watch".

Read more on BBC

Gray cooperated with Nixon to stymie the FBI’s investigation of the 1972 Watergate break-in and the ensuing cover-up.

Read more on Salon

Los Angeles prosecutors filed theft charges against seven people suspected of using ‘signal jammers’ in a break-in attempt in La Verne after a Glendale heist.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• burglary 
• robbery