break down |
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| Lexical unit types: | phrasal verb |
| Topics: | completion |
| Source domains: | - |
| Particles: | down |
| Similes: | - |
| Verbs: | break |
| CEFR Levels: | B1 | Synomyms: | - | Antonyms: | - | Definition: | If a machine or a vehicle breaks down, it stops working. | Examples: |
On the way, my car broke down. Dan’s car broke down on the way to London. The car broke down in the middle of traffic and I have no cell phone.
Collins English Dictionary: break down
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Motivation: |
DOWN: completeness of action (reaching a goal, the highest limit) Rudzka-Ostyn, Brygida. 2003. Word Power: Phrasal Verbs and Compounds: A Cognitive Approach. Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter. |