break out

British  

verb

1. (intr, adverb) to begin or arise suddenly

   panic broke out

2. (intr, adverb) to make an escape, esp from prison or confinement

3. (of the skin) to erupt (in a rash, pimples, etc)

4. (tr, adverb) to launch or introduce (a new product)

5. (tr, adverb) to open and start using

   break out the champagne

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noun

1. an escape, esp from prison or confinement

2. 1. a great success, esp following relatively disappointing performance

   2. ( as modifier )

      a breakout year

break out Idioms  

1. Develop suddenly and forcefully. For example, A fire broke out last night , or He broke out in a sweat . [ a.d. 1000]

2. Be affected with a skin eruption, such as a rash or boils, as in A teenager's face often breaks out in pimples . [c. 1300]

3. Prepare something for consumption, action, or use, as in Let's break out the champagne , or It's such a fine day—let's break out the fishing rods . [Early 1800s]

4. break out of . Force out by breaking; also, escape from confinement. For example, The hurricane broke the glass out of all the windows , or He broke out of prison but was soon apprehended . [Early 1600s]

5. Isolate a portion of a body of data, as in Please break out the sales figures from the quarterly report . [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

BBC Scotland headquarters in Glasgow has been evacuated after a fire broke out.

From BBC

The fierce competition is perhaps most apparent in China’s auto industry, where price wars have broken out and local companies have taken market share from long-dominant foreign car brands.

From The Wall Street Journal

The blast struck the Kairos around 1500 GMT on Friday, with rescuers evacuating its 25 crew members after a fire broke out.

From Barron's

Astronomers have now directly observed the true shape of a supernova explosion — SN 2024ggi — just after the shock broke out of the star, and were able to see how it changes, for the first time.

From Space Scoop

Several residents have said they did not hear a fire alarm when the fire broke out.

From BBC

Related Words

• appear
• arise
• begin
• commence
• erupt
• explode
• occur
• set in
• start