Green’s Dictionary of Slang

break n.1

1. (orig. US) a piece of luck, good or bad; usu. in comb. with defining adj.

[US]J. Randolph letter 3 Mar. in Life II (1851) 289: I am convinced that (as we say in Virginia) we have made a ‘great break.’.
[UK]W.A. Baillie-Grohman Camps in the Rockies 8: As bad a break as ever I sees, Boss.
H. Quick 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].
[US]J. Black You Can’t Win 331: I was sure I could ‘take’ the spot if I got a fair break on the luck.
[US](con. 1919) Dos Passos Nineteen Nineteen in USA (1966) 708: You certainly got a rotten break, Compton.
[US]J. Spenser Limey 10: Half the poor devils [...] didn’t know until afterwards whether they had a ‘lucky break’ or a ‘raw deal’.
[US](con. 1920s) J.T. Farrell Young Manhood in Studs Lonigan (1936) 283: He got some tough breaks all right.
[UK]G. Greene Gun for Sale (1973) 159: ‘What a break!’ he said, ‘what a break!’ laughing softly. ‘It makes you believe in Providence, doesn’t it?’.
[UK]G. Gibson Enemy Coast Ahead (1955) 83: Oh, they’ve had a pretty tough break all right.
[US]J. Thompson Savage Night (1991) 105: Doing things twice as well as you thought you could and getting some breaks thrown in.
[US]H.S. Thompson letter 15 Nov. in Proud Highway (1997) 241: I don’t work hard enough to deserve ‘a break’.
[US]D. Goines Inner City Hoodlum 183: We got ourselves a break here.
[US]J. Ellroy Brown’s Requiem 66: I always figured that if someone offered me a break it would be some rich member at the club.
[Aus]J. Byrell Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 203: Choko McGruder up and said: ‘Well, Mick, old sport - them’s the breaks’.
[UK]D. Farson Never a Normal Man 73: Meanwhile, I had another lucky break.
[US] in W. Shaw Westsiders 339: He never managed to get a real break.
[US] N. Flexner Disassembled Man [ebook] I figured that I had finally caught a break after a lifetime of crap luck.
[US]S.M. Jones August Snow [ebook] ‘Nigger can’t catch a break in this goddam town’.

2. (US) an error, a mistake.

[US]E. Nye Baled Hay 200: Possibly science may be wrong. We have known science to make bad little breaks.
[US]W.K. Post Harvard Stories 210: Don’t make any breaks down there about queer pins.
[US]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.’.
[UK]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.
[US]H. Green Maison De Shine 28: A party’s liable to make a break, an’ yet mean the best in the world.
[UK]J. Curtis 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.

[US]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.’.
[US]V. Samuels ‘Baseball Sl.’ in AS II:5 255: The player of the side favored by luck ‘gets the breaks,’ or the ‘lucky breaks’.
[US]W.R. Burnett Dark Hazard (1934) 208: ‘All the business is run by new people. It’s funny.’ ‘It’s the breaks.’.
[US]F. Brookhouser Now I Lay Me Down 112: ‘Maybe I even gotta wait two months.’ ‘That’s the breaks.’.
[US]H. Selby Jr Last Exit to Brooklyn 100: Ruthy [...] told her to forget about it. Thats the breaks.
[NZ]G. Newbold Big Huey 245: break(s) (n) Luck.
Nas ‘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.
[US]‘Touré’ 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
[US]J.E. O’Donnell ‘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’.
[US]B. Appel Tough Guy [ebook] [A]ll his life he’d been asking the Spotter for one damn break after another.
[US]R.D. Pharr 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.
[UK]F. Taylor Auf Wiedersehen Pet Two 141: We’re not gettin’ any breaks at all! We must be cursed!
[US]E. Weiner Big Boat to Bye-Bye 173: ‘I’m about to cut you a break big-time’.

5. a division, e.g. of money.

[US]Mezzrow & Wolfe Really the Blues 66: All we want around here is a 60-40 break.

In compounds

bum break (n.)

a foolish action.

[US]B. Fisher Mutt & Jeff 6 Oct. [synd. strip] Don’t make any bum breaks [...] Don’t tip your mitt.
[US]F. Packard 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

give someone/something a break (v.) (also cut someone a break, hand someone a break)

(orig. US) to give someone or something a chance, to let off, to excuse, to give an opportunity.

[US]D. Hammett ‘Fly Paper’ Story Omnibus (1966) 39: I’ll give you the best break I can.
[US]C. Coe Hooch! 17: You try to give a fellow a break an’ just get yourself jammed up.
[UK]M. Marshall Tramp-Royal on the Toby 291: Guess we’re sure handing the fishes a swell break, eh?
[US]R. Chandler ‘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.
[US]D. Maurer Big Con 210: I’d always give it a break, and try it again.
[US]H. Miller Sexus (1969) 95: I’d be sure to meet up with a friendly soul, someone who would give me a break.
[US]A. Zugsmith Beat Generation 28: Can’t we all give one another a break?
[US]M. Spillane Return of the Hood 24: They gave me one break. They won’t give me two.
[US]Indiana (PA) Eve. Gazette 22 Jan. 15/1: Debbie Steffey, we’ll cut you a break this time!
[US] M. Scorsese Mean Streets [film script] 57: I gave him all the breaks I can give.
[US]T. Wolfe Bonfire of the Vanities 371: They wouldn’t give you a break even if no one was watching.
[US]Eble Campus Sl. Mar. 3: cut someone a break – ease up on someone [...] Oh, cut me a break, will you?
[UK]Guardian G2 8 July 17: The former owner of the swanky E20 nightclub, who gave Matthew his first break.
[US]Simon & Burns ‘The Detail’ Wire ser. 1 ep. 2 [TV script] It’s an accident, OK. Gimme a fuckin’ break already.
[US]C. Hiaasen Nature Girl 294: If you’re ever passing through Zolfo Springs [...] I’ll cut you a break on a pan gasket.
go for breaks (v.)

(N.Z. prison) to make excuses; to tell lies.

[NZ]G. Newbold Big Huey 157: Then the Copper started going for breaks and insisting he hadn’t blown the whistle on me.

In exclamations

give me a break! (also cut me a break!)

(orig. US) an ironical excl. of resignation and/or supplication delivered when one is faced with a statement or event deemed unacceptable, irritating, etc.

[US]J. Lait Put on the Spot 152: ‘For the saints’ sakes,’ begged Chimp, weeping unrestrained, ‘gimme a break.’.
[Aus]L. Glassop We Were the Rats 10: For heaven’s sake give me a break, will you?
[US]J. Jones From Here to Eternity (1998) 897: Please, give me a break.
[US]‘William Lee’ Junkie (1966) 36: So give me a break. Here’s the script and don’t come back.
[Aus]B. Humphries Barry McKenzie [comic strip] in Complete Barry McKenzie (1988) 18: Give us a break.
[US]R. Price Blood Brothers 20: ‘Whadja do, burn your bra?’ She looked at him, her face collapsing in exhaustion. ‘Stony, gimme a break.’.
[US]Bucks County Courier Times (Levittown, PA) 4 Jan. D5/2: Come off it fellas. Cut us a break.
[US]‘Iceberg Slim’ Airtight Willie and Me 106: Give me a break, huh? I can keep a secret.
[WI]M. Thelwell Harder They Come 164: Cho, maastah, gimme a break.
[US]‘Joe Bob Briggs’ 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.
[US]T. Jones Pugilist at Rest 166: Geez! Give me a break!
[Scot]I. Welsh Filth 15: His voice breaks into a pedantic squeak [...] Give me a break!
[UK]J.J. Connolly Layer Cake 3: I say gimme a fuckin break, gimme a day off, gimme fuckin strength.
[US]Source Aug. 32: Hardcore Boricua cat from El Barrio gets wide open on some stripper white chick? Gimme a breeeeeeak.
[Aus]L. Redhead Thrill City [ebook] Give me a break, Nick. I’m coming to the pub.
[US]C. Hiaasen Star Island (2011) 47: Now she’s poachin’ from Tom Petty. Gimme a fuckin’ break.