Dictionary

break into en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic, transitive) To enter illegally or by force, especially in order to commit a crime.
   • His house was broken into only last week.
   • Somebody broke into his car and stole his tools and CDs.
   • Hackers broke into the bank's computer system and stole customer data.
2. (idiomatic, transitive) To open or begin to use.
   • I finally broke into the second package of cookies.
3. (idiomatic, transitive) To successfully enter a profession or business.
   • He hopes to break into show business.
4. (transitive) To begin suddenly.
   • Now, sometimes in my sorrow shut, ⁠Or breaking into song by fits; ⁠Alone, alone, to where he sits, The Shadow cloak’d from head to foot Who keeps the keys of all the creeds, ⁠I wander, often falling lame, […] 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXIII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 39:
   • That struck me as hilarious, and I broke into hysterical giggles. And once I began, I couldn’t stop. I laughed until I was gasping for breath, tears streaming down my face. 2010, Julie Kagawa, The Iron King, Don Mills: Harlequin Teen, →ISBN, page 237:
   • I just broke into tears while talking to my mom.
   • She broke into a smile, wrenching herself away from our head physician.
   • She broke into song.
   • Then, as usual, the sheep broke into "Four legs good, two legs bad!" and the momentary awkwardness was smoothed over. 1943 November – 1944 February (date written; published 1945 August 17), George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], Animal Farm […], London: Secker & Warburg, published May 1962, →OCLC:
   • The horse broke into a gallop as they neared the barn.

Forms

Deriveds

break into a run

Translations (27)

es descerrajar (to enter illegally) · gl asaltar (to enter illegally) · gl irromper (to enter illegally) · es romper (to begin suddenly) · de ausbrechen (to begin suddenly) · de fallen (to begin suddenly) · gl introducirse en (to successfully enter a profession or business) · de einsteigen (to successfully enter a profession or business) · es violentar (to enter illegally) · ru вла́мываться (to enter illegally) · de anbrechen (to begin to use) · de eindringen (to enter illegally) · de anbrechen (to open, to tear sth. open) · de verfallen (to begin suddenly) · tl pasukin (to enter illegally) · de anfangen (to begin to use) · de anbrauchen (to begin to use) · hu betör (to enter illegally) · gl encetar (to open, to tear sth. open) · de einbrechen (to enter illegally) · mi maoho (to enter illegally) · gl botarse (to begin suddenly) · gl encetar (to begin to use) · de aufreißen (to open, to tear sth. open) · es forzar la entrada (to enter illegally) · ru вломи́ться (to enter illegally) · es irrumpir (to enter illegally)