- 1v/breɪk ʌp/break up (shatter)碎成小塊
To break into many small pieces, or to make something break into many small pieces.
「break up」就是「碎成很多小塊」，或是「把東西弄碎成很多小塊」。可以是東西自己碎開（the ice broke up），也可以是人把它弄碎（break up the soil）。這裡的小詞 up 帶著「完全裂開、散成一片片」的感覺——整塊東西在這裡分成一塊一塊。後面接受詞時，受詞可以放中間：break the soil up 或 break up the soil 都對。
示範例句 · Example
Use a fork to break up the soil before you plant the seeds.
中文翻譯種下種子之前，用叉子把泥土弄碎。
常見搭配
break up the soil
把泥土弄碎、撥鬆
to break hard soil into small loose pieces
The gardener used a tool to break up the hard soil.
break up into pieces
碎成小塊
to separate into many small parts
The cookie broke up into pieces when it fell on the floor.
意思相近
break apartcrumblesmashfall apartshatter
- 2v/breɪk ʌp/break up (divide)分成幾部分
To divide something into several smaller parts.
這個 break up 是「把一個大東西分成幾個比較小的部分」，比較像「分割、拆分」，不一定是真的弄碎。可以是把一家大公司拆成幾家小公司，也可以是用樹和花把一大片草地「分隔開」，讓畫面不那麼單調。小詞 up 一樣帶著「整體裂開成好幾塊」的感覺，只是這裡分出來的是「部分」，不是碎屑。
常見搭配
break something up into
把某物分成幾部分
to divide something into smaller parts
She broke the report up into four clear sections.
break up the day
讓一整天不那麼單調
to add something to make a long day feel less the same
A short walk at lunch helps break up the day.
- 3v/breɪk ʌp/break up (a fight)勸架、拉開
To stop people who are fighting or arguing, so they stop and move apart.
這個 break up 是「把正在吵架或打鬧的人分開、讓他們停下來」，通常是老師或大人出面，安全地把雙方拉開、結束爭執。小詞 up 帶著「把擠在一起的人散開」的感覺——本來兩邊黏在一起爭，大人一介入，雙方就分開、安靜下來。這是幫忙、保護大家的好事，所以常用在老師、教練身上。
常見搭配
break up a fight
勸架、把打鬧的人拉開
to stop people fighting and make them move apart
A teacher came to break up the fight in the hallway.
break it up
別吵了、分開（常當命令）
stop fighting or arguing (often said as a command)
"Break it up, you two!" said the teacher calmly.
- 4v/breɪk ʌp/break up (disperse a crowd)驅散人群
To make a group of people leave a place where they have gathered, so the crowd splits apart.
這個 break up 是「讓聚在一起的一群人離開、散開」，例如警察請大家離開、把人群疏散。和意思 3 很像（都是把人分開），但這裡分開的是「一整群人」，不是兩個吵架的人。小詞 up 帶出「把擠成一團的人群散開」的畫面——本來聚在一起，被請走後就四散開來。
常見搭配
break up the crowd
疏散人群
to make a crowd leave and spread apart
The staff tried to break up the crowd after the game.
break up a meeting
解散會議、讓開會的人離開
to make people at a meeting leave
They had to break up the meeting when the fire alarm rang.
- 5v/breɪk ʌp/break up (a couple, split)分手、拆夥
When two people who are a couple, or a group of people, stop being together and go their separate ways.
這個 break up 是「在一起的兩個人或一群人決定不再在一起」。可以是一對情侶決定不再當男女朋友（the couple broke up），也可以是一個樂團不再一起演出（the band broke up）。對家庭來說，有時爸爸媽媽決定不再當夫妻，家庭的樣子就會改變——這是生活中會發生、可以平靜面對的事。小詞 up 帶出「原本連在一起的關係散開」的感覺。要說「和某人分手」用 break up with somebody。
常見搭配
break up with somebody
和某人分手
to end a romantic relationship with someone
She decided to break up with her boyfriend kindly.
the couple broke up
那對情侶分手了
the two people stopped being a couple
Everyone was surprised when the couple broke up.
意思相反
get togetherstay togethermake up
- 6v/breɪk ʌp/break up (a meeting ends)（聚會）結束散場
When a meeting or party breaks up, it comes to an end and the people there start to leave.
這個 break up 是「會議或聚會結束了，大家開始離開」。和意思 4 不同：意思 4 是有人「主動把人群趕散」，這裡是聚會自己「自然到了尾聲」，大家陸續走掉。小詞 up 一樣帶著「聚在一起的人散開」的感覺，只是這次沒有人催，時間到了大家就散了。
- 7v/breɪk ʌp/break up (school term ends)（學校）放假
When a school breaks up, it closes and the term ends so the students can go on holiday.
這個 break up 是英式英文，指「學校學期結束、開始放假」。對學生來說是開心的事——上課的日子告一段落，可以休假了！小詞 up 帶著「一整段學期到此散開、結束」的感覺，就像把連在一起的上課日子在這裡分開。要說「為了某個假期放假」用 break up for（break up for Easter）。美式英文比較常說 get out of school 或 the school year ends。
- 8v/breɪk ʌp/break up (make someone laugh)把某人逗笑
口語To make someone laugh a lot by saying or doing something funny.
這個 break somebody up 是美式、口語的講法，意思是「說了或做了很好笑的事，把某人逗到大笑」。用法是 break + 人 + up（He breaks me up = 他把我逗得超好笑）。小詞 up 在這裡帶著「笑到整個人散掉、忍不住」的誇張感覺——好像笑到連坐都坐不住。這是輕鬆、開心的用法，多用在朋友之間。
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 upverb
- 1
To break or separate into pieces.
- Break up the cheese and put it in the salad.
- 2
To break or separate into pieces; to disintegrate or come apart.
- It broke up when it hit the ground.
- So, subject to the salvaging of serviceable parts, all five were withdrawn for breaking up in 1936-7, and thus ended one of the shortest histories of an important locomotive class on record.
- 3
To upset greatly; to cause great emotional disturbance or unhappiness in.
- "I remember his wail at the meeting, which began: 'In fifty years experience of scientific intercourse----' It quite broke the old man up."
- 4
To end a (usually romantic or sexual) relationship.
- She broke up with her boyfriend last week.
- 5
To end a (usually romantic or sexual) relationship with each other.
- Jane and Stephen broke up.
- 6
To dissolve; to part.
- The meeting finally broke up after a three-hour discussion.
- At length, one night, when the company by ſome accident broke up much ſooner than ordinary, ſo that the candles were not half burnt out, ſhe was not able to reſiſt the temptation, but reſolved to have them ſome way or other. Accordingly, as ſoon as the hurry was over, and the ſervants, as ſhe thought, all gone to ſleep, ſhe ſtole out of her bed, and went down ſtairs, naked to her ſhift as ſhe was, with a deſign to ſteal them […]
- 7
Of a school, to close for the holidays at the end of term.
- Once the schools break up for the holidays, children across the country are at a loose end and instances of kids doing stupid things on the railway become far too common.
- 8
communicationselectrical-engineeringengineeringOf a conversation, to cease to be understandable because of a bad connection; of a signal, to deteriorate.
- You're breaking up. Can you repeat that? Well, it got cut off.
- what did you say? you're breaking up on me
另外 4 個記錄的用法
- 9
To stop a fight; to separate people who are fighting.
- The police came in to break up the disturbance.
- 10
To become disorganised.
- England's superior conditioning began to show in the final quarter and as the game began to break up, their three-quarters began to stamp their authority on the game. And when Foden went on a mazy run from inside his own 22 and put Ashton in for a long-range try, any threat of an upset was when and truly snuffed out.
- 11
To cut or take to pieces for scrap.
- Ex-Brighton "I4" 4-4-2 tank No. 2034, the last of its class, and "02" 0-4-4 tank No. 214 have been broken up.
- It may not be known generally that the tenders of the scrapped engines of this class were found to be in too good a condition to be broken up, and are now attached to Class "J15" 0-6-0 goods.
- 12
slangTo be or cause to be overcome with laughter.
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。