breakdown

9 definitions • 14 examples

a failure to work or be successful:

I had a breakdown (= my car stopped working) in the middle of the road.

Both sides blamed each other for the breakdown of talks.

a division of something into smaller parts:

We asked for a breakdown of the accident figures into day time and night time.

The rate of breakdown of muscle protein was assessed.

in rugby, the short time when the two teams are competing for the ball after a player has been tackled (= brought to the ground by a player from the other team):

Most fouls in rugby are committed at the breakdown.

He was most effective at the breakdown, securing possession and thwarting counterattacks.

a mechanical failure, or a failure in a system or a relationship:

There was evidently a breakdown in communication leading to the false report.

Their car trip was a disaster – they had frequent breakdowns and never reached their destination.

a division of information into parts that belong together:

We need a breakdown of the statistics into age groups.

a condition in which you are unable to control thoughts or feelings that prevent you from living and working as you usually do:

It's about a middle-aged New York cop who is having a nervous breakdown.

a failure to work correctly or to be successful:

The city is losing millions of dollars in lost productivity because of all of the mechanical breakdowns and system failures.

Each side blamed the other for the breakdown of the negotiations.

breakdown in sth There has been a breakdown in communication between management and staff.

a division of something into its parts, so that you can see all the details:

I asked for a full breakdown of the costs involved in setting up a new website.