break·wa·ter

(brāk′wô′tər, -wŏt′ər)

A barrier that protects a harbor or shore from the full impact of waves.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

breakwater

(ˈbreɪkˌwɔːtə) or

breakwall

1. (Civil Engineering) Also called: mole a massive wall built out into the sea to protect a shore or harbour from the force of waves

2. (Civil Engineering) another name for groyne

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

break•wa•ter

(ˈbreɪkˌwɔ tər, -ˌwɒt ər)

n.

a barrier that breaks the force of waves, as before a harbor.

[1715–25]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

breakwater - a protective structure of stone or concrete; extends from shore into the water to prevent a beach from washing away

groyne, jetty, seawall, bulwark, groin, mole

barrier - a structure or object that impedes free movement

breakwater

noun sea wall, spur, mole, jetty, groyne Suddenly a breakwater loomed up in front.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

كاسر أمواج

vlnolam

bølgebryderdige

Wellenbrecher Buhne Mole

κυματοθραύστης

rompeolas

aallonmurtaja

brise-lames

hullámtörõ gát

brimbrjótur, hafnargarîur

frangiflutti battimare

bølgebryter molo

vlnolam

dalgakıran mendirek

防波堤

breakwater

[ˈbreɪkˌwɔːtəʳ] N → rompeolas m inv

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

breakwater

[ˈbreɪkwɔːtə^r] n → brise-lames m inv, digue f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

breakwater

[ˈbreɪkˌwɔːtəʳ] n → frangiflutti m inv

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

break

(breik) – past tense broke (brouk) : past participle brəken (ˈbroukən) – verb

1. to divide into two or more parts (by force).

2. (usually with off/away) to separate (a part) from the whole (by force).

3. to make or become unusable.

4. to go against, or not act according to (the law etc). He broke his appointment at the last minute.

5. to do better than (a sporting etc record).

6. to interrupt. She broke her journey in London.

7. to put an end to. He broke the silence.

8. to make or become known. They gently broke the news of his death to his wife.

9. (of a boy's voice) to fall in pitch.

10. to soften the effect of (a fall, the force of the wind etc).

11. to begin. The storm broke before they reached shelter.

noun

1. a pause. a break in the conversation.

2. a change. a break in the weather.

3. an opening.

4. a chance or piece of (good or bad) luck. This is your big break.

ˈbreakable adjective

(negative unbreakable) likely to break. breakable toys.

noun

(usually in plural) something likely to break.

ˈbreakage (-kidʒ) noun

the act of breaking, or its result(s).

ˈbreaker noun

a (large) wave which breaks on rocks or the beach.

ˈbreakdown noun

1. (often nervous breakdown) a mental collapse.

2. a mechanical failure causing a stop. The car has had another breakdown. See also break down.

break-inbreak in(to)ˈbreakneck adjective

(usually of speed) dangerous. He drove at breakneck speed.

breakoutbreak outˈbreakthrough noun

a sudden solution of a problem leading to further advances, especially in science.

ˈbreakwater noun

a barrier to break the force of the waves.

break away

to escape from control. The dog broke away from its owner.

break down

1. to use force on (a door etc) to cause it to open.

2. to stop working properly. My car has broken down.

3. to fail. The talks have broken down.

4. to be overcome with emotion. She broke down and wept.

break in(to)

1. to enter (a house etc) by force or unexpectedly (noun ˈbreak-in. The Smiths have had two break-ins recently).

2. to interrupt (someone's conversation etc).

break loose

to escape from control. The dog has broken loose.

break off

to stop. She broke off in the middle of a sentence.

break out

1. to appear or happen suddenly. War has broken out.

2. to escape (from prison, restrictions etc). A prisoner has broken out (noun ˈbreakout).

break out in

to (suddenly) become covered in a rash, in sweat etc. I'm allergic to strawberries. They make me break out in a rash.

break the ice

to overcome the first shyness etc. Let's break the ice by inviting our new neighbours for a meal.

break up

1. to divide, separate or break into pieces. He broke up the old furniture and burnt it; John and Mary broke up (= separated from each other) last week.

2. to finish or end. The meeting broke up at 4.40.

make a break for it

to make an (attempt to) escape. When the guard is not looking, make a break for it.