break in
verb8 senses
- 1To enter a place by force or illicit means.
- 2To smash (something) by forcing it inward.
- 3To reach a state of functioning more smoothly through…
- 4Starting something brand new or at a new level.
- 5To tame; make obedient; to train to follow orders of the owner.
- 6To take the virginity of a girl, to deflower.
- 7To interrupt one's conversation; speak before another…
- 8To initiate a new person into prostitution or prison sex acts.
1
To enter a place by force or illicit means.
- Someone broke in and stole his radio.
- No wonder they broke in, sir: Fake alarm system, single mortise lock on the door, windows that don't close properly...2000 February 5, Douglas Watkinson & al., "Beyond the Grave", Midsomer Murders
1 more example
- Thousands gathered at São Paulo’s main cathedral and made their way to the mayor’s office, where a small group smashed windows and tried to break in, forcing guards to withdraw.2013 June 18, Simon Romero, “Protests Widen as Brazilians Chide Leaders”, in New York Times, retrieved 21 Jun 2013:
2
To smash (something) by forcing it inward.
- Break in the door. We are held up!1914, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados:
3
Ambitransitive, Ergative, Idiomatic To reach a state of functioning more smoothly through use or wear; to cause (something, or someone, new) to undergo this change.
- These shoes will be more comfortable after they have broken in.
- These shoes will be more comfortable after I have broken them in.
4
Idiomatic Starting something brand new or at a new level.
- He broke in with the New York Yankees.
5
Of a horse To tame; make obedient; to train to follow orders of the owner.
- Captain had been broken in and trained for an army horse; his first owner was an officer of cavalry going out to the Crimean War. He said he quite enjoyed the training with all the other horses, trotting together, turning together, to the right hand or to the left, halting at the word of command, or dashing forward at full speed at the sound of the trumpet, or signal of the officer.[1877], Anna Sewell, “An Old War Horse”, in Black Beauty: […], London: Jarrold and Sons, […], →OCLC, part III, page 162:
6
Colloquial To take the virginity of a girl, to deflower.
- While brothel patrons placed their bets / On who would be the first to break her in2002, Allison Moorer, “Ruby Jewel Was Here”, in Miss Fortune:
7
To interrupt one's conversation; speak before another person has finished speaking.
8
Slang To initiate a new person into prostitution or prison sex acts.
- Derived terms
- breaker-inner, break-in
- Related terms
- break away, break into, break out, break and enter, breaking and entering, burn-in