- 1v/breɪk daʊn/break down (car, machine)故障；拋錨
If a car or machine breaks down, it stops working.
「break down」最常用的意思就是「車子或機器壞掉、停下來不能動」。重點在於它自己出問題、運轉不下去了，沒有人去弄壞它。這裡的小詞 down 帶著「停下來、整個慢下來不動」的感覺——本來在跑的車或機器，到這裡就停住了。這個用法是不及物的，主詞是車或機器本身（the car broke down），後面不接受詞。
示範例句 · Example
Our car broke down on the way to school, so Dad called for help.
中文翻譯我們的車在去學校的路上故障了，所以爸爸打電話求助。
- 2v/breɪk daʊn/break down (talks, plan)破裂；失敗
If talks or a plan break down, they fail and stop working well.
這個 break down 是「談話、計畫或關係失敗了、進行不下去」。和意思 1 很像（都是「停下來、不能繼續」），差別在於這裡停下來的是人與人之間的合作或安排，意思 1 停的則是機器。小詞 down 一樣帶著「整個垮下來、撐不下去」的感覺——本來在進行的事，到這裡就崩了、散了。這個用法也是不及物的。家庭有時也會改變，一段婚姻 break down 就是平靜地說「兩個人走不下去了」。
常見搭配
talks break down
談判破裂
discussions fail and stop
Peace talks broke down after one week.
negotiations break down
協商破裂
a formal discussion fails
Negotiations broke down when neither side would change.
- 3v/breɪk daʊn/break down (a door)破門；撞開
To hit a door so hard that it breaks and falls to the ground.
這個 break down 是「用力撞門，把門撞破、撞倒在地」。和前面幾個意思不同，這裡是「人主動出力」把門弄倒，所以是及物的，後面接 the door。小詞 down 帶著「往下倒、倒到地上」的感覺——本來立著的門，被撞得倒下來。常見的畫面是消防員為了救裡面的人，把門撞開。
常見搭配
break down the door
破門；把門撞開
to hit a door until it falls down
The rescuers broke down the door to help the family.
break down a wall
把牆打倒
to knock a wall to the ground
The workers broke down the old wall to make a bigger room.
意思相近
knock downforce opensmash open
意思相反
unlockopen gently
- 4v/breɪk daʊn/break down (a barrier)打破（隔閡）
To remove something that stops people from getting along, like a wall between them.
這個 break down 是「把擋在人與人之間、讓大家無法好好相處的東西拿掉」，常常是看不見的「牆」，例如成見或害怕。和意思 3 撞門很像（都是把擋路的東西弄倒），但這裡倒下的是一道想像的牆。小詞 down 帶著「把一道牆推倒到地上」的感覺。這個用法是及物的，常接 barriers（隔閡）或 prejudices（成見）。
常見搭配
break down barriers
打破隔閡
to remove things that keep people apart
Music can break down barriers between people from different places.
break down prejudices
打破成見
to slowly remove unfair ideas about a group
Meeting new people helped break down her prejudices.
- 5v/breɪk daʊn/break down (decompose)分解
If something breaks down, it slowly changes into smaller, simpler parts.
這個 break down 是「一種東西慢慢變成更小、更簡單的部分」，例如食物在胃裡被消化，或物質在自然中慢慢分解。可以是它自己分解（food breaks down），也可以是有東西幫它分解（break the food down）。小詞 down 帶著「碎成更小的小塊」的感覺——本來一整塊，到這裡分成許多細小的部分。這是自然或科學課常見的用法。
常見搭配
break down food
分解食物
to change food into smaller parts the body can use
Your stomach helps break down the food you eat.
break down naturally
自然分解
to separate into simple parts on its own in nature
Paper can break down naturally, but plastic takes a very long time.
- 6v/breɪk daʊn/break down (cry)崩潰大哭
To start crying because you cannot hold your feelings in any longer.
這個 break down 是「忍不住哭了出來」，常常是因為心裡的感覺太滿，撐不住了。哭出來沒有關係，每個人有時候都會這樣，這很正常。小詞 down 帶著「整個人撐不住、垮下來」的感覺——本來忍著的情緒，到這裡放了出來。常見說法是 break down in tears（眼淚掉下來）。這個用法是不及物的。
- 7v/breɪk daʊn/break down (into parts)分成小部分
To separate something into smaller parts so it is easier to do or understand.
這個 break down 是「把一件大事或一個難題分成幾個小部分，讓它更好做、更好懂」。和意思 5 的「分解」很像（都是分成小塊），差別在於這裡分的是步驟、問題或數字，意思 5 分的則是食物或物質。小詞 down 一樣帶著「拆成更小的小塊」的感覺。這個用法是及物的，受詞可以放中間：break it down 或 break down the figures 都對。
常見搭配
break down into parts
分成幾個部分
to divide something into smaller pieces
The question can be broken down into two parts.
break down the figures
把數字拆開分析
to split numbers into smaller groups to study them
The teacher broke down the figures to show where the money went.
原始詞典資料13 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，摘錄並精簡格式，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
break downverb
- 1
computercomputingengineeringTo stop functioning.
- I am afraid my computer will break down if I try to run it at too high a speed.
- "We love our little diesel trains. They potter up and down. They break down. The C6 overhaul is only a temporary answer. By the time they are replaced, they will be 45 years old.
- 2
To unexpectedly collapse, physically or in structure.
- 3
To intentionally demolish; to pull down.
- 4
To fail, especially socially or for political reasons.
- Talks broke down between Prime Minister John Doe and the opposition party.
- Relations broke down between Greece and Turkey.
- 5
To give in or give up: relent, concede, surrender.
- Is it worth taking it to a repair shop, or should I just break down and buy a new one?
- 6
To render or to become unstable due to stress, to collapse physically or mentally.
- Near-synonym: come undone
- She is back to work now, after she broke down the other day.
- 7
To render or to become weak and ineffective.
- His authority and influence over his coordinates broke down gradually.
- Hodgson's approach may not illuminate proceedings in Poland and Ukraine but early evidence suggests they will be tough to break down.
- 8
To (cause to) decay, to decompose.
- Leaves and grass will break down into compost faster if you keep them moist.
另外 4 個記錄的用法
- 9
To separate into a number of parts.
- Near-synonyms: break apart, break up, take apart, tear down, tear up
- The goods station is a transhipment centre (centre de transbordement) at which loads made up at other centres are broken down and redespatched to destinations in the area.
- 10
To divide into parts to give more details, to provide a more indepth analysis of.
- Near-synonym: analyze
- If you don't understand, ask him to break down the numbers for you.
- 11
To digest.
- Near-synonym: catabolize
- His stomach took a while to break down his food.
- 12
informalentertainmentlifestylemusicTo bust down or bust a move; to perform energetic, often freestyle or hip-hop moves, frequently during a song’s instrumental break where only drums or bass are playing; see breakdown.
這個拼法也被記錄為下列字的變化形：
摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary，已精簡格式；依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用，改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。