Library / English Dictionary

BREACH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A failure to perform some promised act or obligation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("breach" is a kind of...):

failure (an unexpected omission)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "breach"):

breach of contract (a breach of a legal duty; failure to do something that is required in a contract)

breach of duty (a breach of due care)

Derivation:

breach (act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)

Example:

they hoped to avoid a break in relations

Synonyms:

breach; break; falling out; rift; rupture; severance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("breach" is a kind of...):

breakup; detachment; separation (coming apart)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "breach"):

schism (the formal separation of a church into two churches or the withdrawal of one group over doctrinal differences)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An opening (especially a gap in a dike or fortification)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Hypernyms ("breach" is a kind of...):

gap; opening (an open or empty space in or between things)

Derivation:

breach (make an opening or gap in)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make an opening or gap in

Synonyms:

breach; gap

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "breach" is one way to...):

open; open up (cause to open or to become open)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

breach (an opening (especially a gap in a dike or fortification))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises

Example:

break a promise

Synonyms:

breach; break; go against; infract; offend; transgress; violate

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "breach" is one way to...):

disrespect (show a lack of respect for)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "breach"):

sin; transgress; trespass (commit a sin; violate a law of God or a moral law)

blunder; boob; drop the ball; goof; sin (commit a faux pas or a fault or make a serious mistake)

conflict; contravene; infringe; run afoul (go against, as of rules and laws)

trespass (break the law)

intrude; trespass (enter unlawfully on someone's property)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

breach (a failure to perform some promised act or obligation)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Laurie and his friends gallantly threw themselves into the breach, bought up the bouquets, encamped before the table, and made that corner the liveliest spot in the room.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

His wife fluttered apprehensively into the breach.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Yet when we bale our bowline and veer the sheet our lives will hang upon the breach remaining blocked.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She had always seen it with pain; but respecting his abilities, and grateful for his affectionate treatment of herself, she endeavoured to forget what she could not overlook, and to banish from her thoughts that continual breach of conjugal obligation and decorum which, in exposing his wife to the contempt of her own children, was so highly reprehensible.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

I write for the noblest end, to inform and instruct mankind; over whom I may, without breach of modesty, pretend to some superiority, from the advantages I received by conversing so long among the most accomplished Houyhnhnms.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

But a great cry, which was audible even above the wind and water, rose from the shore at this moment; the sea, sweeping over the rolling wreck, made a clean breach, and carried men, spars, casks, planks, bulwarks, heaps of such toys, into the boiling surge.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Why he had done it, what could have provoked him to such a breach of hospitality, and so suddenly turned all his partial regard for their daughter into actual ill will, was a matter which they were at least as far from divining as Catherine herself; but it did not oppress them by any means so long; and, after a due course of useless conjecture, that it was a strange business, and that he must be a very strange man, grew enough for all their indignation and wonder; though Sarah indeed still indulged in the sweets of incomprehensibility, exclaiming and conjecturing with youthful ardour.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Sir Thomas Bertram had interest, which, from principle as well as pride—from a general wish of doing right, and a desire of seeing all that were connected with him in situations of respectability, he would have been glad to exert for the advantage of Lady Bertram's sister; but her husband's profession was such as no interest could reach; and before he had time to devise any other method of assisting them, an absolute breach between the sisters had taken place.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

If, as I imagine, there is no breach of the law in this matter, you can absolutely depend upon my discretion and my cooperation in keeping the facts out of the papers.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I cannot say that I do unless it were that he wished to be able to deny his signature if an action for breach of promise were instituted.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)