Break down
1 Stop working
Meaning
Stop working. Fail.
similar pack up & conk out are similar but more informal.
Why down?
Down is often used when things stop working. When machines, systems, arrangements or plans fail. Up is used in many verbs when things are running smoothly or start working and down suggests the opposite.
Check out more phrasal verbs with the same preposition logic in Logic > down.
Collocations
So, what words go together with break down?
Examples
| Sorry I'm late. The car broke down on the way here. |
| We broke down. |
| Diplomatic relations have broken down between the two countries. |
| Their marriage broke down despite their genuine efforts to save it. |
| The talks broke down over the issue of immigration. |
| The elevators in this building are always breaking down. |
| Our bus broke down on the way back. |
| I broke down on my way to work this morning. |
| The lift breaks down on a regular basis. |
| Communication broke down when he was accused of conspiring against them. |
Grammar
inseparable Don't separate this phrasal verb in this context. It doesn't take an object. Something breaks down or someone breaks down when they're driving.
noun Vehicle breakdowns can occur with little or no warning, so it pays to be prepared.
adjective There was a broken down car on the side of the road.
Listen
Can you spot the phrasal verb in this short audio?
2 Cry
Meaning
Start crying.
Why down?
Down suggests the person has lost control of the situation and has become emotional. Compare this to being down as in depressed or being up as in cheering up.
Check out more phrasal verbs with the same preposition logic in Logic > down.
Examples
| She broke down in tears over her mother's terminal illness. |
| He broke down completely and couldn't continue. |
| She broke down and cried. |
| He broke down and wept. |
| He seemed as if he might break down any second and cry. |
| She was breaking down, sobbing and screaming at him. |
| He broke down in tears as he made a grovelling apology. |
Grammar
inseparable Don't separate this phrasal verb in this context. It doesn't take an object. Someone breaks down.
3 Hit and break; destroy
Meaning
Hit something until it breaks or falls; manage to remove an obstacle or problem.
Why down?
Down is used to suggest that something that was up has been removed. An obstacle, physical or metaphorical, is now down, destroyed, broken, no longer there.
Check out more phrasal verbs with the same preposition logic in Logic > down.
Collocations
So, what words go together with break down?
Examples
| They had to break down the door to gain access. |
| We broke down the wall between the kitchen and dining room |
| They broke down the barricades and arrested the students inside. |
| New technologies break down language barriers. |
| Thankfully, old barriers are breaking down. |
| I was finally able to break down her resistance. |
| It'll be difficult to break down their prejudices. |
| We tried to break down their hostility. |
Grammar
separable You can separate this phrasal verb in this context. It can take an object. Someone breaks something down or something breaks down.
4 Make easier
Meaning
Divide something into smaller parts or steps to understand it or deal with it better or more easily.
Why down?
In some cases, down is used when dividing things into smaller parts, maybe to deal with them or understand them better.
Check out more phrasal verbs with the same preposition logic in Logic > down.
Examples
| Break down large tasks into manageable steps and prioritize. |
| Let me break it down to you the best way that I can. |
| We'll help you break down your expenses so you can better see where your money is going. |
| The study breaks down the results by gender and race. |
| They broke down the bill for us item by item |
Grammar
separable You can separate this phrasal verb in this context. It can take an object. Something breaks something down.
5 Decompose
Meaning
Decompose
Why down?
Down can be used with the idea of basic parts or components of something.
Check out more phrasal verbs with the same preposition logic in Logic > down.
Examples
| Bacteria break down animal waste to form methane gas. |
| Digestive enzymes break down proteins in food to provide amino acids for the organism |
| A normal plastic bottle takes about 450 years to break down completely. |
| Digestive juices break down food into the tiniest nutrient components. |
Grammar
separable You can separate this phrasal verb in this context. It can take an object. Something breaks something down or something breaks down.