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breaks down

[/breɪks daʊn/]
verb (phrasal verb)
avaria, falha, colapso, desmorona
1. to stop functioning or working properly
The car breaks down frequently on long trips.
O carro avaria frequentemente em viagens longas.
2. to become emotionally overwhelmed and cry
She breaks down every time she talks about the accident.
Ela desmorona toda vez que fala sobre o acidente.
3. to separate into component parts or categories
Let me break down the budget into different categories.
Deixa eu dividir o orçamento em diferentes categorias.
4. to reduce or decompose into simpler elements
The body breaks down food during digestion.
O corpo decompõe os alimentos durante a digestão.
5. to deteriorate or fail (in negotiations, systems, etc.)
Peace talks broke down after three days.
As negociações de paz falharam após três dias.
NYC Slang
breaks down, goes bust, conks out
Synonyms
malfunctionsfailscollapsesdeterioratescrumblessobsanalyzes
Antonyms
functions properlyworkssucceedscomposescalms down

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
quebra, avaria, colapso, desmorona
Most common usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
avaria, falha, desmorona
Common in both technical and emotional contexts
São Paulo
quebra, avaria, falha
Preferred in business and technical contexts
Portugal
avaria, falha, colapso, desmorona-se
Similar usage to Brazil; occasionally uses reflexive form for emotional breakdown

Related Idioms & Phrases

break down in tears
break down the barriers
break down the numbers
break down one's resistance
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