break-inˈbreak-in noun [countable] 
Examples
Since the break-in we’ve had all our locks changed. → break in at break1
ExamplesEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- The break-in occurred between midnight and six in the morning.
- There was a break-in at the college last night -- they took all the computers.
- And Channing says there was no obvious evidence of a break-in.
- At least there was little evidence remaining of the break-in.
- Sure enough, a guy showed up at Zia on the day of the break-in with a stack of the stolen goods.
- The local police were informed of the whereabouts of the statues, just in case anyone mistakenly reported an attempted break-in.
- This is the second computer break-in at a major technology company that has been publicized in recent months.
- Until the break-in, he had planned to use it that summer on a cross-country bicycle trip.
THESAURUS► robbery
an act of entering a building illegally and by force, especially in order to steal things: the crime of stealing money or other things from a bank, shop etc, especially by using threats or violence: · Mobile phones are a common target in street robberies.· Armed robbery is a serious offence.
► theft the crime of stealing something, especially when the person they are stolen from is not present: · Car thefts are on the increase.· Security has been tightened since the theft of a $150,000 oil painting.
► burglary the crime of entering a house or other building illegally and stealing things: · Most burglaries occur when a house or apartment is empty.· He was charged with burglary.
► break-in an occasion when someone breaks a door or window in order to enter a place and steal things: · The break-in was the eighth on our street this year.· There’s been a break-in at the newsagents.
► mugging a violent attack on someone in the street in order to rob them: · There have been a number of muggings outside downtown hotels.
► raid an attack on a bank, shop etc, especially one in which the thieves use weapons: · The gang carried out an armed raid on a post office.
► bank job informal a carefully planned robbery of a bank: · The money from the bank job was quickly taken out of the country.
► larceny law the crime of stealing something from someone, without using force or threats. This word is used mainly in American English. It is now old-fashioned in British English: · He pleaded guilty in New York to nine counts of grand larceny (=stealing things that are worth a lot of money).· They were suspected of being involved in petty larceny (=stealing things that are not worth a lot of money).
Longman Language Activatorwhen someone steals something► burglary when someone enters a house or other building illegally and steals things: · Call the police -- there's been a burglary.· Most burglaries occur when a house or apartment is empty.
► robbery when someone steals money or other things from a bank, shop etc, especially by using threats or violence: · I took part in my first robbery when I was only thirteen years old.· In the first nine months of this year there were 9611 street robberies involving violence.robbery of: · Police claim to have found the gun used in this morning's robbery of a downtown convenience store.bank robbery: · The police are investigating a series of bank robberies.
► break-in when someone breaks a door or window in order to enter a place and steal things: · There was a break-in at the college last night -- they took all the computers.
► hold-up also stick-up American informal when someone goes into a bank or shop with a gun and demands money: · A man was shot dead in a hold-up at a downtown bank.
► theft formal when something is stolen: · If your passport has been stolen, report the theft to your nearest embassy immediately.theft of: · Security has been tightened since the theft of a $150,000 oil painting.car/bicycle etc thefts: · Police believe they have found the man responsible for a series of car thefts in the past year.
► mugging a violent attack on someone in the street in order to rob them: · There have been a number of muggings outside downtown hotels recently.
► raid when someone goes into a bank or shop while it is open, and steals money or other things using threats or violence: · The police accused the woman of planning a huge armed bank raid in Scotland.raid on: · Detectives managed to catch the gunman who had taken three hostages in a raid on a jeweller's shop.carry out a raid: · Police have released a photo of a man they believe carried out a raid on a supermarket.
► job informal a crime that involves stealing: · Her boyfriend was put in prison after a bank job (=theft from a bank).inside job (=done by someone within the organization): · The police are convinced it was an inside job.
WORD SETS► Crimeabet, verbaccusation, nounaccuse, verbaffray, nounarson, nounassault, nounassault and battery, nounbackhander, nounbattery, nounbigamy, nounblack market, nounblack marketeer, nounbreak-in, nounbreaking and entering, nouncaper, nouncapital, adjectivecarjacking, nouncat burglar, nouncontract, nouncosh, nouncounterfeit, adjectivecounterfeit, verbcover, nouncrack, verbcriminal, adjectivecriminal, nouncriminal law, nouncriminal record, nouncriminology, nouncrook, nounculpable, adjectiveculprit, noundefamation, noundefraud, verbdelinquency, noundelinquent, adjectivedelinquent, noundesperado, noundisorderly, adjectivedrug baron, noundrug runner, nounDUI, nounembezzle, verbexpropriate, verbextort, verbeyewitness, nounfelon, nounfelony, nounfence, nounfiddle, nounfiddle, verbfiddler, nounfilch, verbfinger, verbfire-raising, nounfirst offender, nounflash, verbflasher, nounforge, verbforger, nounforgery, nounfoul play, nounframe, verbframe-up, nounfratricide, nounfraud, nounfreebooter, noungang, noungang-bang, noungang rape, noungangster, nounGBH, noungenocide, noungetaway, noungodfather, noungrand larceny, noungrass, noungrievous bodily harm, nounheist, nounhijack, verbhijack, nounhijacking, nounhit, nounhit-and-run, adjectivehit man, nounincriminate, verbindecent assault, nounindecent exposure, nouninfanticide, nounjob, nounjoyriding, nounjuvenile delinquent, nounkidnap, verblarceny, nounlibel, nounlibel, verblibellous, adjectivelow life, nounmafioso, nounmalpractice, nounmanslaughter, nounmassacre, nounmassacre, verbmatricide, nounmisappropriate, verbmisconduct, nounmisdeed, nounmisdemeanour, nounmobster, nounmoll, nounmug, verbmugshot, nounmurder, nounmurder, verbmurderer, nounmurderess, nounmuscleman, nounnark, nounnefarious, adjectiveneighbourhood watch, nounnick, verbno-go area, nounoffence, nounoffend, verboffender, nounold lag, nounorganized crime, nounoutlaw, nounparricide, nounpatricide, nounpetty larceny, nounPhotofit, nounpiracy, nounplant, verbpoach, verbpoacher, nounpossession, nounprivateer, nounprotection, nounprowl, verbprowler, nounpublic nuisance, nounpull, verbpunk, nounpurloin, verbraid, nounram-raiding, nounrape, verbrape, nounrapist, nounravish, verbreceiver, nounreceiving, nounrecidivist, nounregicide, nounring, nounringleader, nounriotous, adjectiverob, verbrobber, nounrobbery, nounroll, verbrustler, nounscheme, nounscheme, verbshady, adjectiveshoplift, verbshoplifting, nounslander, nounsmuggle, verbsnout, nounspeeding, nounstabbing, nounstalking, nounstatutory offence, nounstatutory rape, nounsteal, verbstoolpigeon, nounsupergrass, nounsuspect, nounswag, nountheft, nounthief, nounthievish, adjectivetorch, verbtraffic, nountrafficker, nountriad, noununder-the-counter, adjectiveunderworld, nounundesirable, nounvagrancy, nounvandal, nounvandalism, nounvandalize, verbvice, nounvigilante, nounvillainy, nounviolate, verbviolation, nounwanted, adjective
Since the break-in we’ve had all our locks changed. → break in at break1