the breaks

Idioms  

1. Pieces of luck, turns of events, as in No matter how well he pitches, the team always makes fielding errors—that's the breaks, I guess, or There's not much you can do if the breaks are against you. In the singular and modified forms, this term becomes. In the plural form, only the context determines its favorable or unfavorable meaning. [Slang; early 1900s] Also see tough break.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

the breaks

Most of the breaks were repaired within 24 hours, and the neurons continued functioning normally.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 21, 2026

Fellow US broadcaster Telemundo, which shows matches in Spanish and is aimed at Latino Americans, is one of the few broadcasters which has decided not to show ads during the breaks.

From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026

Some have described the breaks as commercial interruptions to appease US broadcasters.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026

While the breaks have their detractors, there are others who believe they are a positive introduction.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026

We loaded two cars and drove down the road that was screened with wet mats and the last of the sun came through in the breaks between the strips of mattings.

From "A Farewell To Arms" by Ernest Hemingway