break n.1
1. (orig. US) a piece of luck, good or bad; usu. in comb. with defining adj.
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | letter 3 Mar. in Life II (1851) 289: I am convinced that (as we say in Virginia) we have made a ‘great break.’. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Camps in the Rockies 8: As bad a break as ever I sees, Boss. | |
 | Yellowstone Nights v 126: It’s allus an even break whether they’ll stan’ and freeze in their tracks, or chase after some bunch of [...] natives [DA]. | |
| You Can’t Win 331: I was sure I could ‘take’ the spot if I got a fair break on the luck. | |
| (con. 1919) Nineteen Nineteen in USA (1966) 708: You certainly got a rotten break, Compton. | |
| Limey 10: Half the poor devils [...] didn’t know until afterwards whether they had a ‘lucky break’ or a ‘raw deal’. | |
| (con. 1920s) Young Manhood in Studs Lonigan (1936) 283: He got some tough breaks all right. | |
| Gun for Sale (1973) 159: ‘What a break!’ he said, ‘what a break!’ laughing softly. ‘It makes you believe in Providence, doesn’t it?’. | |
| Enemy Coast Ahead (1955) 83: Oh, they’ve had a pretty tough break all right. | |
| Savage Night (1991) 105: Doing things twice as well as you thought you could and getting some breaks thrown in. | |
| letter 15 Nov. in Proud Highway (1997) 241: I don’t work hard enough to deserve ‘a break’. | |
| Inner City Hoodlum 183: We got ourselves a break here. | |
| Brown’s Requiem 66: I always figured that if someone offered me a break it would be some rich member at the club. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 203: Choko McGruder up and said: ‘Well, Mick, old sport - them’s the breaks’. | |
| Never a Normal Man 73: Meanwhile, I had another lucky break. | |
| in Westsiders 339: He never managed to get a real break. | |
| Disassembled Man [ebook] I figured that I had finally caught a break after a lifetime of crap luck. | |
| August Snow [ebook] ‘Nigger can’t catch a break in this goddam town’. |
2. (US) an error, a mistake.
| Baled Hay 200: Possibly science may be wrong. We have known science to make bad little breaks. | |
| Harvard Stories 210: Don’t make any breaks down there about queer pins. | |
| Sun (N.Y.) 14 Mar. 12/1: ‘Hello, Chuck, did ye know that Mickey McDermott was dead?’ ‘Break! Break! [...] Don’t try to gimme a bamboo like dat. Why, I saw Mickey last night.’. | |
| Boy’s Own Paper 6 Apr. 421: I felt like springing to my feet and shouting ‘Hurrah!’ but I knew that would be an awful break. | |
| Maison De Shine 28: A party’s liable to make a break, an’ yet mean the best in the world. | |
| They Drive by Night 215: He’d made a dopey break, flashing himself about the joint like this. |
3. (orig. US/baseball) in pl. and constr. with the, luck, chance, opportunities, whether good or bad.
| S.F. Bulletin 20 Mar. 17/2: Reese is one gentleman who can always look forward to a successful season if he only gets the ‘breaks.’. | |
| ‘Baseball Sl.’ in AS II:5 255: The player of the side favored by luck ‘gets the breaks,’ or the ‘lucky breaks’. | |
| Dark Hazard (1934) 208: ‘All the business is run by new people. It’s funny.’ ‘It’s the breaks.’. | |
| Now I Lay Me Down 112: ‘Maybe I even gotta wait two months.’ ‘That’s the breaks.’. | |
| Last Exit to Brooklyn 100: Ruthy [...] told her to forget about it. Thats the breaks. | |
![[NZ]](/static/img/flags/nz.png "New Zealand") | Big Huey 245: break(s) (n) Luck. | |
| ‘If I Ruled the World’ 🎵 on It Was Written [album] You’d love to hear the story how the thugs live in worry / Duck down in car seats, heat’s mandatory / Runnin from Jake, gettin chased, hunger for papes / These are the breaks many mistakes go down out of state. | |
| Portable Promised Land (ms.) 157: We Words (My Favorite Things) [...] The breaks. The beast. The blues. The vapors. |
4. (orig. US) a piece of special treatment, kindness, fair treatment.
| implied in give someone/something a break | |
| ‘Overcoat Bennie’ in Mss. from the Federal Writers’ Project 🌐 He saw Jimmy’s hand go to his hip pocket and come out with a gleam of steel. With chattering teeth he pleaded for a ‘break’. | |
| Tough Guy [ebook] [A]ll his life he’d been asking the Spotter for one damn break after another. | |
| S.R.O. (1998) 378: It ain’t no sweeter in the House of D if you tell the chaplain about all the lovely breaks you gave the stupid johns. | |
| Auf Wiedersehen Pet Two 141: We’re not gettin’ any breaks at all! We must be cursed! | |
| Big Boat to Bye-Bye 173: ‘I’m about to cut you a break big-time’. |
5. a division, e.g. of money.
| Really the Blues 66: All we want around here is a 60-40 break. |
In compounds
a foolish action.
| Mutt & Jeff 6 Oct. [synd. strip] Don’t make any bum breaks [...] Don’t tip your mitt. | |
| Adventures of Jimmie Dale (1918) I iv: That bum break Gregor made when he pinched the cracked plate put the finish on that. |
In phrases
(orig. US) to give someone or something a chance, to let off, to excuse, to give an opportunity.
| ‘Fly Paper’ Story Omnibus (1966) 39: I’ll give you the best break I can. | |
| Hooch! 17: You try to give a fellow a break an’ just get yourself jammed up. | |
| Tramp-Royal on the Toby 291: Guess we’re sure handing the fishes a swell break, eh? | |
| ‘Red Wind’ in Red Wind (1946) 35: You’ve got to give the kid a break. You’ve got to let him stay out of it. | |
| Big Con 210: I’d always give it a break, and try it again. | |
| Sexus (1969) 95: I’d be sure to meet up with a friendly soul, someone who would give me a break. | |
| Beat Generation 28: Can’t we all give one another a break? | |
| Return of the Hood 24: They gave me one break. They won’t give me two. | |
| Indiana (PA) Eve. Gazette 22 Jan. 15/1: Debbie Steffey, we’ll cut you a break this time! | |
| Mean Streets [film script] 57: I gave him all the breaks I can give. | |
| Bonfire of the Vanities 371: They wouldn’t give you a break even if no one was watching. | |
| Campus Sl. Mar. 3: cut someone a break – ease up on someone [...] Oh, cut me a break, will you? | |
| Guardian G2 8 July 17: The former owner of the swanky E20 nightclub, who gave Matthew his first break. | |
| ‘The Detail’ Wire ser. 1 ep. 2 [TV script] It’s an accident, OK. Gimme a fuckin’ break already. | |
| Nature Girl 294: If you’re ever passing through Zolfo Springs [...] I’ll cut you a break on a pan gasket. |
(N.Z. prison) to make excuses; to tell lies.
| Big Huey 157: Then the Copper started going for breaks and insisting he hadn’t blown the whistle on me. |
In exclamations
(orig. US) an ironical excl. of resignation and/or supplication delivered when one is faced with a statement or event deemed unacceptable, irritating, etc.
| Put on the Spot 152: ‘For the saints’ sakes,’ begged Chimp, weeping unrestrained, ‘gimme a break.’. | |
| We Were the Rats 10: For heaven’s sake give me a break, will you? | |
| From Here to Eternity (1998) 897: Please, give me a break. | |
| Junkie (1966) 36: So give me a break. Here’s the script and don’t come back. | |
| Barry McKenzie [comic strip] in Complete Barry McKenzie (1988) 18: Give us a break. | |
| Blood Brothers 20: ‘Whadja do, burn your bra?’ She looked at him, her face collapsing in exhaustion. ‘Stony, gimme a break.’. | |
| Bucks County Courier Times (Levittown, PA) 4 Jan. D5/2: Come off it fellas. Cut us a break. | |
| Airtight Willie and Me 106: Give me a break, huh? I can keep a secret. | |
![[WI]](/static/img/flags/wi.png "West Indies") | Harder They Come 164: Cho, maastah, gimme a break. | |
| Joe Bob Goes to the Drive-In 178: Lou doesn’t even use his bare hands. He kills em with a stick. Gimme a break. | |
| Pugilist at Rest 166: Geez! Give me a break! | |
![[Scot]](/static/img/flags/sco.png "Scotland") | Filth 15: His voice breaks into a pedantic squeak [...] Give me a break! | |
| Layer Cake 3: I say gimme a fuckin break, gimme a day off, gimme fuckin strength. | |
| Source Aug. 32: Hardcore Boricua cat from El Barrio gets wide open on some stripper white chick? Gimme a breeeeeeak. | |
| Thrill City [ebook] Give me a break, Nick. I’m coming to the pub. | |
| Star Island (2011) 47: Now she’s poachin’ from Tom Petty. Gimme a fuckin’ break. |