breakdownbreak‧down /ˈbreɪkdaʊn/ ●○○ noun 
He moved away after the breakdown of his marriage. A sudden rise in oil prices could lead to a breakdown of the economy.breakdown in There has been a serious breakdown in relations between the two countries.marriage/marital/family breakdown Family breakdown can lead to behavioural problems in children.2[countable] a serious medical condition in which someone becomes mentally ill and is unable to work or deal with ordinary situations in life: I was worried he might have a breakdown if he carried on working so hard. Two years ago he suffered a mental breakdown. She had already had one nervous breakdown.3[countable] an occasion when a car or a piece of machinery breaks and stops working: Always carry a phone with you in case you have a breakdown on the motorway.breakdown in a breakdown in the cooling system4[countable] a list of all the separate parts of somethingbreakdown of Can you give us a breakdown of the figures?5[singular] the changing of a substance into other substances: the breakdown of glucose in the body to release energy → break down at break1COLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + breakdownmarriage/marital breakdown· problems caused by the increase in marital breakdownfamily breakdown· A growing proportion of children are affected by family breakdown.communication breakdown (=when people do not talk or are unable to talk)· The misunderstanding was the result of a communication breakdown.complete/total breakdown· The disagreement finally led to a complete breakdown of their relationship.irretrievable breakdown formal (=one that is impossible to put right again)· The irretrievable breakdown of a marriage may be grounds for divorce.verbscause/lead to a breakdown· Money problems often cause marriage breakdown.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- It seems like our copy machine has a breakdown every week.
- Many families experience marital breakdown.
- A breakdown is possible only for large-circulation papers like the Sun and the Mirror.
- Being confined to the one living space meant an increase in hyperactivity and breakdown in family relationships.
- Child-care breakdowns set two-paycheck couples at war over who stays home with the kids.
- Howard Hughes suffered a total breakdown.
- The people who hired us said they all thought I was having a schizophrenic breakdown.
- Thus any breakdown in the cold chain could be quantified.
- Uncle Leonard and Auntie Midge, more appropriately to their characters, would have had nervous breakdowns.
Longman Language Activatorto become mentally ill
to become mentally ill, usually as a result of working too hard or difficult emotional problems, and be temporarily unable to deal with ordinary things such as working or looking after your family: · After her divorce, Dora had a nervous breakdown and was off work for three months.· She sounds really bad. I think she's heading for a nervous breakdown.
informal to suddenly become unable to continue your normal life, especially because you have been working too hard or doing something that is very frightening, dangerous etc: · I think Paul's cracking up under the strain of work.· Some people can't cope with the death of a loved one, and simply crack up.
also go mad British, /go crazy especially American to become seriously and permanently mentally ill - used in ordinary English, but not official or medical contexts: · Eventually, rejected by Hamlet, Ophelia goes mad and drowns herself.· I wondered if I was going crazy. Everyone seemed to be against me.· Conditions on the oil rig are very unpleasant. You'd go insane if you had to stay more than a month or so.
WORD SETSabscess, nounache, verbache, nounacne, nounagoraphobia, nounagoraphobic, nounague, noun-aholic, suffixAIDS, nounailment, nounairsick, adjectivealbino, nounalcoholic, nounalcoholism, nounallergic, adjectiveallergy, nounamnesia, nounamputee, nounanaemia, nounanaemic, adjectiveangina, nounanorexia, nounanorexic, adjectiveantacid, nounanthrax, nounantibody, nounantidepressant, nounantidote, nounantigen, nounantihistamine, nounanti-inflammatory, adjectiveantitoxin, nounapoplectic, adjectiveapoplexy, nounappendicitis, nounarteriosclerosis, nounarthritis, nounaseptic, adjectiveaspirin, nounasthma, nounastigmatism, nounasymptomatic, adjectiveathlete's foot, nounatrophy, verbauto-immune disease, nounAyurvedic medicine, nounbaby blues, nounbacillus, nounbackache, nounbark, verbbattle fatigue, nounBCG, nounbedridden, adjectivebedsore, nounbed-wetting, nounbellyache, nounbenign, adjectiveberiberi, nounbespectacled, adjectivebetter, adjectivebilious, adjectivebinge, verbbiopsy, nounbirthmark, nounbite, verbbite, nounblack and blue, adjectiveBlack Death, the, black eye, nounblackout, nounbleed, verbbleeding, nounblind, verbblister, nounblister, verbblood bank, nounblood donor, nounblood poisoning, nounbloodshot, adjectiveblood transfusion, nounbloody, adjectivebloody, verbblue baby, nounboil, nounbotulism, nounbrain damage, nounbreakdown, nounbronchitis, nounbruise, nounbruise, verbBSE, nounbubonic plague, nounbug, nounbulimia, nounbump, nounbunion, nounbuzz, verbcalloused, adjectivecallus, nouncancer, nouncandida, nouncanker, nouncarbuncle, nouncarcinogen, nouncarcinogenic, adjectivecarcinoma, nouncardiac, adjectivecardiovascular, adjectivecaries, nouncarpal tunnel syndrome, nouncarrier, nouncarry, verbcarsick, adjectivecast, nouncasualty, nouncataract, nouncatarrh, nouncatatonic, adjectivecatching, adjectivecauliflower ear, nouncerebral palsy, nouncertify, verbcervical smear, nounchapped, adjectivecharley horse, nounchemotherapy, nounchesty, adjectivechicken pox, nounchilblains, nounChinese medicine, nouncholera, nounchronic, adjectivecirrhosis, nounCJD, nouncleanse, verbcleft palate, nounclinic, nounclinical, adjectiveclub foot, nouncold, nouncold sore, nouncolic, nouncolitis, nouncollapse, verbcolour-blind, adjectivecoma, nouncommon cold, nouncommon denominator, nouncommunicate, verbcomplaint, nouncomplicate, verbcomplication, nouncompound fracture, nounconcuss, verbconcussion, nouncondition, nouncongenital, adjectivecongested, adjectiveconjunctivitis, nounconstipation, nounconsumption, nounconsumptive, nouncontagion, nouncontagious, adjectivecontinent, adjectivecontract, verbcontusion, nounconvalesce, verbconvulsion, nouncorn, nouncortisone, nouncot death, nouncough, nounCPR, nouncrack-up, nouncramp, nounCreutzfeldt-Jakob disease, nouncrick, nouncrick, verbcripple, nouncripple, verbcross-eyed, adjectivecroup, nouncurable, adjectivecut, nouncyst, nouncystic fibrosis, nouncystitis, noundecompression sickness, noundeep vein thrombosis, noundeformity, noundegenerative, adjectivedehydrate, verbdelirious, adjectivedelirium, noundelusion, noundementia, noundengue fever, noundepression, noundermatitis, noundiabetes, noundiabetic, adjectivediabetic, noundiagnosis, noundialysis, noundiaper rash, noundiarrhoea, noundiphtheria, noundisability, noundisable, verbdisabled, adjectivedischarge, verbdisease, noundisgorge, verbdislocate, verbdisorder, noundissipated, adjectivedissipation, noundistemper, noundistend, verbdizzy, adjectivedoddering, adjectivedoddery, adjectivedonate, verbdonor, noundouble vision, noundoughy, adjectivedown, adverbDown's syndrome, noundrawn, adjectivedressing, noundrinker, noundrunk, adjectivedrunk, noundrunken, adjectivedull, adjectivedumb, adjectiveDVT, noundysentery, noundyslexia, noundyspepsia, noundyspeptic, adjectiveearache, nouneating disorder, nounEbola, nounectopic pregnancy, nouneczema, nounemaciated, adjectiveemasculate, verbembolism, nounemphysema, nounencephalitis, nounendoscope, nounenervate, verbenteritis, nounepidemic, nounepilepsy, nounepileptic, adjectiveepileptic, nounetiology, nounexcruciating, adjectiveexposure, nouneyeless, adjectiveeye strain, nounfail, verbfaint, nounfester, verbfever, nounfever blister, nounfevered, adjectivefeverish, adjectivefirst aid, nounfit, nounflat feet, nounflat-footed, adjectiveflu, nounfood poisoning, nounfoot and mouth disease, nounfracture, verbfracture, nounfrostbite, noungall, noungammy, adjectiveganglion, noungangrene, noungas, noungash, noungastric, adjectivegastritis, noungastroenteritis, nounGerman measles, nounget, verbgingivitis, nounglandular fever, nounglaucoma, noungnarled, adjectivegonorrhea, noungout, noungrand mal, noungraze, verbgraze, noungriping, adjectivegroggy, adjectivegrowing pains, noungrowth, noungush, verbgynaecology, nounhacking cough, nounhaemophilia, nounhaemophiliac, nounhaemorrhage, nounhaemorrhage, verbhaemorrhoids, nounhalitosis, nounhandicap, nounhandicapped, adjectivehangover, nounhard of hearing, adjectiveharelip, nounhay fever, nounheadache, nounhealth, nounheart attack, nounheartburn, nounheart disease, nounheart failure, nounheat exhaustion, nounheat rash, nounheatstroke, nounheave, verbhepatitis, nounhernia, nounherpes, nounHIV, nounhormone replacement therapy, nounhospital, nounhospitalize, verbhot flush, nounhousebound, adjectiveHRT, nounhump, nounhumpback, nounhunchback, nounhungover, adjectivehydrophobia, nounhypertension, nounhypothermia, nounhysterectomy, nounhysteria, nounhysterical, adjectiveillness, nounimmune, adjectiveimmune system, nounimmunity, nounimmunize, verbimmunology, nounimpacted, adjectiveimpediment, nounimpetigo, nounimpotent, adjectiveincision, nounincontinent, adjectiveincubate, verbincurable, adjectiveindigestion, nounindisposed, adjectiveindisposition, nouninfantile, adjectiveinfantile paralysis, nouninfect, verbinfected, adjectiveinfection, nouninfectious, adjectiveinfirmity, nouninflammation, nouninflammatory, adjectiveinfluenza, nouninfusion, nouningrowing, adjectiveinoculate, verbinoperable, adjectiveinsane, adjectiveinsanity, nouninsomnia, nouninsomniac, nouninstability, nounintensive care, nounintravenous, adjectiveinvalid, nouninvalidity, nouninvasive, adjectiveirregular, adjectiveirritable bowel syndrome, nounirritant, nounirritate, verbirritated, adjectiveirritation, noun-ism, suffixisolation, nounjaundice, nounjaundiced, adjectivejet lag, nounknock-kneed, adjectiveknotted, adjectivelaceration, nounlaryngitis, nounlegionnaire's disease, nounleper, nounleprosy, nounlesion, nounleukemia, nounlisp, nounlisteria, nounliverish, adjectivelockjaw, nounlong-sighted, adjectiveloose, adjectivelozenge, nounlumbago, nounlunacy, nounLyme disease, nounmad cow disease, nounmalady, nounmalaise, nounmalaria, nounmalformation, nounmalignancy, nounmalignant, adjectivemalnourished, adjectivemalnutrition, nounmange, nounmangy, adjectivemania, nounmanic, adjectivemanic depression, nounmastitis, nounME, nounmeasles, nounmedicinal, adjectivemegalomania, nounmegalomaniac, nounmelancholia, nounmelancholic, adjectivemelanoma, nounmend, verbmeningitis, nounmentally handicapped, adjectivemigraine, nounmild, adjectivemiscarriage, nounmole, nounmongol, nounmono, nounmononucleosis, nounmorbid, adjectivemorning sickness, nounmoron, nounmotion sickness, nounmotor neurone disease, nounMRI, nounMRSA, nounMS, nounmultiple sclerosis, nounmumps, nounmurmur, nounmusclebound, adjectivemuscular dystrophy, nounmute, adjectivemute, nounmyopia, nounmyopic, adjectivemyxomatosis, nounnarcolepsy, nounnausea, nounnauseate, verbnauseous, adjectivenearsighted, adjectivenervous breakdown, nounnettle rash, nounneuralgia, nounneurosis, nounneurotic, adjectivenosebleed, nounnotifiable, adjectiveNSU, nounobesity, nounoff-colour, adjectiveoperate, verboperation, nounophthalmic, adjectiveophthalmology, noun-osis, suffixosteoarthritis, nounosteopathy, nounosteoporosis, nounoutpatient, nounoverbite, nounpacemaker, nounpaediatrics, nounpale, adjectivepallid, adjectivepallor, nounpalpitate, verbpalpitations, nounpalsy, nounpandemic, nounparalyse, verbparalysed, adjectiveparalysis, nounparalytic, adjectiveparalytic, nounparanoia, nounparaplegia, nounparaplegic, nounparasitic, adjectiveParkinson's disease, nounparoxysm, nounpasty, adjectivepasty-faced, adjectivepathogen, nounpathological, adjectivepathology, nounpeaked, adjectivepeaky, adjectivepellagra, nounpeptic ulcer, nounperforated, adjectiveperiod pain, nounperitonitis, nounpernicious anaemia, nounpersecution complex, nounpestilence, nounpestilential, adjectivepetit mal, nounpharyngitis, nounphlebitis, nounphlegm, noun-phobic, suffixphysiotherapy, nounpigeon-toed, adjectivepins and needles, nounplacebo, nounplague, nounplaque, nounplaster cast, nounpleurisy, nounPMS, nounPMT, nounpneumonia, nounpockmark, nounpockmarked, adjectivepoisoning, nounpolio, nounpolyp, nounpoor, adjectivepost-traumatic stress disorder, nounpremenstrual tension, nounprescribe, verbprescription, nounpreventive medicine, nounprickle, verbprickly heat, nounprognosis, nounprolapse, nounprophylactic, adjectiveprophylactic, nounprophylaxis, nounpsoriasis, nounpsychopath, nounpsychosis, nounpsychosomatic, adjectivepsychotic, adjectivepuffy, adjectivepull, verbpurulent, adjectivepus, nounpustule, nounqueasy, adjectiverabid, adjectiverabies, nounradiation sickness, nounradiography, nounrash, nounraw, adjectivereact, verbreaction, nounreceive, verbrecuperate, verbrecuperative, adjectiveregurgitate, verbrelapse, verbremission, nounrepetitive strain injury, nounresistance, nounrespond, verbretch, verbRhesus factor, nounrheumatic, adjectiverheumatic fever, nounrheumatism, nounrheumatoid arthritis, nounrickets, nounringworm, nounRSI, nounrubella, nounrun-down, adjectiverunny, adjectiverupture, nounsaddle-sore, adjectivesalmonella, nounscab, nounscabby, adjectivescabies, nounscald, verbscald, nounscaly, adjectivescar, nounscar, verbscarlet fever, nounschizophrenia, nounsciatica, nounsclerosis, nounscrape, verbscrape, nounscratch, nounscurvy, nounseasick, adjectiveseizure, nounself-examination, nounsenile, adjectivesenile dementia, nounsenseless, adjectivesepsis, nounseptic, adjectivesepticaemia, nounserum, nounset, verbsexually transmitted disease, nounshell shock, nounshell-shocked, adjectiveshingles, nounshock, nounshort-sighted, adjectivesickle-cell anaemia, nounsickly, adjectivesickness, nounside effect, nounsightless, adjectivesimple fracture, nounsleeping sickness, nounslipped disc, nounsmallpox, nounsnakebite, nounsnow blindness, nounsore, adjectivesore, nounspastic, adjectivespecial needs, nounspecimen, nounspina bifida, nounsprain, verbsputum, nounsquint, verbsquint, nounstammer, nounstarvation, nounstarve, verbSTD, nounstomachache, nounstone, nounstrain, nounstrain, verbstrangulated, adjectivestrep throat, nounstroke, nounsty, nounsuccumb, verbsufferer, nounsunstroke, nounsuperbug, nounsurgical, adjectiveswelling, nounswollen, adjectivesymptom, nounsymptomatic, adjectivesyndrome, nounsyphilis, nounTB, nountear, verbtetanus, nountherapeutic, adjectivetherapy, nounthrombosis, nounthrush, nountic, nountight, adjectivetingle, verbtinnitus, nountipsy, adjectivetonsillitis, nountoothache, nountorment, nountourniquet, nountoxaemia, nountoxic shock syndrome, nountraction, nountransfusion, nountrauma, nountravel sickness, nountreatment, nountremor, nountuberculosis, nountumour, nountunnel vision, nountwinge, nountwitch, nountyphoid, nountyphus, nounulcer, nounulcerate, verbultrasound, noununderweight, adjectiveundressed, adjectiveunhealthy, adjectiveuntreated, adjectivevaccinate, verbvaccine, nounvaricose veins, nounVD, nounvenereal disease, nounverruca, nounvertigo, nounviral, adjectivevirology, nounvirulent, adjectivevomit, verbvomit, nounwart, nounweak, adjectiveweal, nounweep, verbwheeze, verbwheeze, nounwheezy, adjectivewhiplash, nounwhooping cough, nounwind, nounwithered, adjectivewound, nounwrench, verbwriter's cramp, nounyaws, nounyeast infection, nounyellow fever, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYADJECTIVES/NOUN + breakdown an event which left her on the verge of a nervous breakdownCOLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
1[countable, uncountable] the failure of a relationship or systembreakdown of· problems caused by the increase in marital breakdown
· A growing proportion of children are affected by family breakdown.
(=when people do not talk or are unable to talk)· The misunderstanding was the result of a communication breakdown.
· The disagreement finally led to a complete breakdown of their relationship.
formal (=one that is impossible to put right again)· The irretrievable breakdown of a marriage may be grounds for divorce.
verbs· Money problems often cause marriage breakdown.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=a failure)· Differences in language and traditions can lead to a breakdown in communication.
(=the end of it)· The breakup of her marriage had a devastating effect on her.
(=an occasion when negotiations cannot continue because of a disagreement)· There has been a breakdown in negotiations with the union.
· My mother had a nervous breakdown after my father's death.
· At university, Jan suffered a nervous breakdown and was treated for depression.
(=be likely to suffer one soon)· She should slow down a bit - I think she's heading for a nervous breakdown.
· He had a complete nervous after leaving university.
(=to be very close to having a nervous breakdown)· These events left her on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
· The collapse of the talks sent shock waves round the world.
an event which left her on the verge of a nervous breakdown· An alternative source of nitrogen will be required to ensure a rapid buildup of bacteria and the complete breakdown of cellulose.· A complete breakdown of budget talks could push rates back up, at least temporarily, analysts concede.· Huge contributions from parents are saving school from a complete breakdown, according to an investigation by the Mail on Sunday.· At sixty-four he had suffered a complete mental breakdown.· So no one told him he was already heading for a complete nervous breakdown.· At twenty, in Budapest, he suffered a complete nervous breakdown, which he conquered through a gruelling program of callisthenics.· It was a complete breakdown of a friendship in a way.· With a wife and two small daughters to support, poor Nelson almost yearns for a complete breakdown.
· More detailed cost breakdowns are discussed later in this chapter.· Table 12.1 shows a more detailed breakdown of expenditure.· The Diagnostic Key provides a detailed breakdown of the Grammar Test.· The figure gives a detailed breakdown of patients included and excluded from the study.· This section gives a detailed breakdown of what may be required in your daily work.· It is therefore normal practice to provide a more detailed cost breakdown under key cost headings arising on contracts or development.· The following detailed breakdown is designed to help those wanting to fund out more about awards available in a particular sector.
· There is little doubt, then, that the effect of marital breakdown upon the children of the couple concerned is multi-causal.· Witness the rates of marital breakdown in the Western world!· Two factors are mainly responsible for movement from the owner-occupied to local authority sectors - unemployment and marital breakdown.· The second main factor is marital breakdown.· It is the financial life-line in times of marital crisis and breakdown.· No, they suffer from an altogether different, better class of marital breakdown.· However, it is on marital breakdown that the crucial implications of this situation are particularly illuminated.· The tenure of a person's housing has been shown to be a consequence of marital breakdown in many cases.
· Although there have been mechanical breakdowns, they have merely affected the vehicles carrying the material.· But Woosnam has fewer mechanical breakdowns than Peter because his brain is better able to instruct his body what to do.
· That seems a recipe for a mental breakdown.· At sixty-four he had suffered a complete mental breakdown.· Arthur Benson recovered from several years of mental breakdown about two years previously and was in the evening summer of his life.· Hence the complete and utter mental breakdown of whoever contracts the disease.· She believed Martin had ended the engagement, and eventually she had a serious mental breakdown.· A big kiss Dedo Laure, his favourite aunt, was suffering from a severe mental breakdown.· Everything about him screams mid-life crisis / impending mental breakdown.· You are having some sort of mental breakdown.
· Logan, who had had two nervous breakdowns, said that he would take the pills himself.· His solicitor said he was suffering from an acute nervous breakdown.· He said she acted erratic, got the shakes one evening and almost had a nervous breakdown.· Do not give yourself a nervous breakdown trying to prepare and cook three courses on the day perfectly and on time.· They are almost three times as prone to nervous breakdowns.· One needed to go on a crash diet, the other was in the middle of a nervous breakdown.· Shortly after her marriage, she had a nervous breakdown and had to be institutionalized.
· Howard Hughes suffered a total breakdown.· They did not see a total breakdown happening until at least the second half of the twenty-first century.
NOUN· There looked to be a communications breakdown in the Oxford defence.· It is at this point that things often go wrong and communication breakdowns occur.· However, games lead to communication breakdowns.· Engineers should be aware of the potential for communication breakdowns, especially at internal or external interfaces.
· A future with just one screen for all functions would result in rapid family breakdown.· The most direct pressures come from welfare incentives for family breakdown and tax penalties for male providers.· These include illegitimacy, family breakdown and reconstitution, social class, unemployment, poverty, and ethnicity.· Other academic analysts at Williamsburg denied any important connection between the use of welfare and the incidence of illegitimacy and family breakdown.· Black poverty remains; family breakdown, drug addiction and violence have worsened.· How could welfare have increased family breakdown during a period when the real value of the payments was decreasing?· Such attitudes not only displace others from paid employment but also lead to family breakdown.
· The importance of the economic support provided by husbands is neatly illustrated by working class women's attitudes towards marriage breakdown.· Boredom, isolation and loneliness can lead to alcoholism, marriage breakdowns and a failure to complete the assignment.· Drinking affects personal relationships, causing marriage breakdown and harming the children in the family.
· If sulphur hexafluoride is subjected to electrical sparking in the presence of oxygen, it degrades, releasing toxic breakdown products.· Mesobilirubinogen, urobilinogen, and urobilin represent intestinal breakdown products of bilirubin catabolism. 220.· Liver damage is known to occur when the breakdown product of a chemical is highly toxic.
· Theft from truck: A gear box was stolen from a breakdown truck in Anchorage Lane, Northallerton.· The officers called a breakdown truck to pull him out.
VERB· The civil war has aggravated this situation, causing a breakdown in family life, such as it was.· The pressure of taking on other peoples' problems can cause breakdowns.
· The move follows the breakdown of the 999 system which, it is claimed, led to a number of deaths.· A horse dies following an ugly breakdown in front of the grandstand on opening day at Santa Anita.· In 1878 she gave up teaching for two years, following a breakdown in health.· The following is breakdown of 1996 federal spending.· Usually maintenance work is carried out during the course of repairs following a breakdown.· The move is aimed at restoring public confidence following the breakdown of the computer emergency 999 call system.
· Do not give yourself a nervous breakdown trying to prepare and cook three courses on the day perfectly and on time.· In Chapter 2 I gave a breakdown of the five minimum requirements of the graph search mechanism.· He has given you a cost breakdown as follows: You have also ascertained that: 1.· Table 3 gives the breakdown of the 23,900 hectares in the 6 upland areas.· BThe report gave no breakdown of statistics by state or city.· Others give a complete breakdown of specialist editors and correspondents.· The figure gives a detailed breakdown of patients included and excluded from the study.· This section gives a detailed breakdown of what may be required in your daily work.
· Some fear that it will lead to a breakdown of the civic culture that Almond and Verba so admired in Britain.· Blaming often leads to complete breakdown in family communications.· Their appearance is connected with anharmonicity, which leads to a breakdown of the selection rules derived assuming simple harmonic motion.· Some theorized that repeated rectal exposure to the semen of different partners might be leading to an immune breakdown.· Even outside these types of confrontation, the very differences in language and traditions can lead to a breakdown in communication.· Such attitudes not only displace others from paid employment but also lead to family breakdown.· However, games lead to communication breakdowns.· The biographer speculated that it may have been failure in his alchemical experiments that led to this breakdown.
· Such strategies prevent the breakdown of capitalism into class conflicts.
· As for providing a breakdown on the individual expenses this year, the inaugural committee is keeping its counsel.· The Diagnostic Key provides a detailed breakdown of the Grammar Test.· Equally, the estimator may have insufficient time or resources to provide a breakdown of the estimate.
· The second category is the national stoppage resulting from the breakdown of negotiations and the exhaustion of the bargaining machinery.· A future with just one screen for all functions would result in rapid family breakdown.
· Overlay a transparent sheet used in the preparation of multi-colour artwork showing the colour breakdown.· These results are now being presented to show a breakdown between Personal and Commercial lines within the portfolio.· The strain always showed in the bizarre breakdowns of individuals and the cultish excesses of certain groups.
· At sixty-four he had suffered a complete mental breakdown.· This is how it was for Regina who from 1942, when she was eighteen, suffered numerous breakdowns.· At twenty, in Budapest, he suffered a complete nervous breakdown, which he conquered through a gruelling program of callisthenics.· Howard Hughes suffered a total breakdown.· Most of the young people had suffered several foster placement breakdowns, and some had been in trouble with the law.· The report identified how she was forced to quit her secretarial job and how she suffered a breakdown.· Even the previous November there had been isolated rumours that he had suffered a nervous breakdown.
He moved away after the breakdown of his marriage. A sudden rise in oil prices could lead to a breakdown of the economy.breakdown in There has been a serious breakdown in relations between the two countries.marriage/marital/family breakdown Family breakdown can lead to behavioural problems in children.2[countable] a serious medical condition in which someone becomes mentally ill and is unable to work or deal with ordinary situations in life: I was worried he might have a breakdown if he carried on working so hard. Two years ago he suffered a mental breakdown. She had already had one nervous breakdown.3[countable] an occasion when a car or a piece of machinery breaks and stops working: Always carry a phone with you in case you have a breakdown on the motorway.breakdown in a breakdown in the cooling system4[countable] a list of all the separate parts of somethingbreakdown of Can you give us a breakdown of the figures?5[singular] the changing of a substance into other substances: the breakdown of glucose in the body to release energy → break down at break1COLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + breakdownmarriage/marital breakdown· problems caused by the increase in marital breakdownfamily breakdown· A growing proportion of children are affected by family breakdown.communication breakdown (=when people do not talk or are unable to talk)· The misunderstanding was the result of a communication breakdown.complete/total breakdown· The disagreement finally led to a complete breakdown of their relationship.irretrievable breakdown formal (=one that is impossible to put right again)· The irretrievable breakdown of a marriage may be grounds for divorce.verbscause/lead to a breakdown· Money problems often cause marriage breakdown.