breaker

¹

[brey-ker]

noun

1. a person or thing that breaks.

2. a wave that breaks or dashes into foam.

3. Citizens Band Radio Slang.,  a person who indicates a wish to transmit a message, as by breaking in on a channel.

4. Also called breaker strip. Automotive.,  a strip of fabric under the tread of a pneumatic tire casing, designed to protect the carcass.

5. Textiles.

   1. brake.

   2. a machine that separates the fiber from foreign matter in preparation for the carding process.

6. Also called prairie breaker. a plow with a long, low moldboard for turning virgin land.

7. Electricity.,  circuit breaker.

8. Mining.

   1. a building where coal delivered from a mine is broken up and sorted.

   2. a machine that reduces large lumps of coal or ore to a size that can be accommodated by a conveyor belt.

9. a break dancer.

interjection

1. Citizens Band Radio Slang.,  (used to announce that a person is about to transmit a message or question on a channel, especially one already in use.)

breaker

²

[brey-ker]

noun

Nautical.

1. a small water cask for use in a boat.

breaker

¹

/ ˈbreɪkə /

noun

1. a person or thing that breaks something, such as a person or firm that breaks up old cars, etc

2. a large wave with a white crest on the open sea or one that breaks into foam on the shore

3. electronics short for circuit breaker

4. a machine or plant for crushing rocks or coal

5. Also called: breaking plough. a plough with a long shallow mouldboard for turning virgin land or sod land

6. textiles a machine for extracting fibre preparatory to carding

7. an operator on citizens' band radio

breaker

²

/ ˈbreɪkə /

noun

1. a small water cask for use in a boat

breaker

1. A wave that crests or breaks into foam, as against a shoreline.

2. A circuit breaker.

Word History and Origins

Origin of breaker¹

First recorded in 1125–75; break + -er ¹ ( def. )

Origin of breaker²

First recorded in 1825–35; said to be alteration of Spanish bareca, variant of barrica “small keg”

Word History and Origins

Origin of breaker¹

C19: anglicized variant of Spanish barrica , from French (Gascon dialect) barrique

Synonym Study

See wave.

Example Sentences

China has declared itself a near-Arctic nation and deployed ice breakers and research vessels.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Despite the use of safeguards such as so-called circuit breakers, which halt trading in volatile issues, flash crashes have since hit markets in other nations and asset classes.

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Homeowners with electric panels that are several decades old should consider taking advantage of the tax credit, especially if their panelboards support less than 100 amps and use fuses instead of circuit breakers, he says.

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With his background in construction, he said he knew that turning off the homes’ circuit breakers would disable their surveillance systems.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

What’s bad for artists is good for him: His reviews become desperately sought-after career makers or breakers.

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