break down

[/breɪk daʊn/]

verb (phrasal verb)

quebrar, desabar, avaria, colapso

1. To stop functioning; to fail or malfunction

The car broke down on the highway.

O carro quebrou na rodovia.

2. To collapse emotionally; to cry or lose composure

She broke down in tears after hearing the news.

Ela desabou em lágrimas ao ouvir a notícia.

3. To analyze or separate into components

Let me break down the problem into smaller parts.

Deixe-me dividir o problema em partes menores.

4. To decompose or disintegrate

The material breaks down naturally over time.

O material se decompõe naturalmente ao longo do tempo.

NYC Slang

break down, conk out, go kaput

Synonyms

Antonyms

Regional Variations

General Brazilian

quebrar, desabar, avaria

Most common usage across Brazil

Rio de Janeiro

arrebentar, desabar

Colloquial variation

São Paulo

dar pau, pifar

Informal, especially for mechanical failure

Portugal

avaria, colapso

Formal usage preferred

break down in tears

break it down (explain clearly)

have a breakdown (emotional collapse)

break down barriers

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