break up

phrasal verb

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	break up
he/she/it	breaks up
present participle	breaking up
past tense	broke up
past participle	broken up

1
transitive to break something to make smaller pieces
Break the chocolate up into squares.
Synonyms and related words
To break
break
fall apart
shatter
1. 1a
  intransitive if something breaks up, it breaks into smaller pieces
  The plane broke up in mid-air.
  Synonyms and related words
  To break
  break
  fall apart
  shatter
2
intransitive/transitive if a relationship breaks up, it ends
The marriage broke up just a few years later.
There were suggestions that her involvement had broken up the partnership.
Synonyms and related words
To end a friendship or relationship
defriend
unfriend
break off
1. 2a
  intransitive/transitive if two people break up, they end their relationship
  break up with:
  He’s just broken up with his girlfriend.
  Synonyms and related words
  To end a friendship or relationship
  defriend
  unfriend
  break off
3
intransitive/transitive if a meeting or other event breaks up, or if you break it up, it ends and people leave
The talks didn’t break up until after midnight.
Sorry to break up the party, but I have to go.
Synonyms and related words
To come to an end
come to an end
pass
run out
4
transitive to stop a fight
The police were called in to break up the rioters.
Synonyms and related words
Ending, solving and avoiding arguments and fights
ADR
agree to differ/disagree
alternative dispute resolution
5
intransitive if the sound on a radio or mobile phone breaks up, you can no longer hear the person who is speaking on it
I can’t hear you, you’re breaking up.
Synonyms and related words
Relating to sound
above
acoustic
acoustics
6
intransitive educationBritishif schools break up, or if students or teachers break up, the students and teachers stop working at the end of term
Synonyms and related words
Attendance and non-attendance at school or university
absence
absenteeism
attend
7
transitive to divide a large area or a period of time into smaller parts so that it does not seem so big or long
I usually go for a walk around three o’clock to break up the afternoon.
Synonyms and related words
To separate an object or area into parts
take apart
take down
divide
8
break it up
used to tell people to stop fighting
Come on, break it up, you two!
Submitted by:
Caleb Judy from United States on 14/05/2017
Open Dictionary - May2017

break up

break it up

break up

break it up