definitions

break the bank

Ruin one financially, exhaust one's resources, as in I guess the price of a movie won't break the bank. This term originated in gambling, where it means that a player has won more than the banker (the house) can pay. It also may be used ironically, as above. [c. 1600]

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RELATED WORDS

upgrade, develop, raise, boost, grow, improve, prosper, magnify, grade, prefer, enlarge, up, elevate, multiply, uplift, thrive, score

Nearby words

break someone of something, break someone up, break someone's heart, break someone's serve, break the back of, break the bank, break the ice, break the news, break the record, break through, break up
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.