zerbrechen

(unreg.)

I v/t (hat zerbrochen)

1. break (in oder to pieces); (Glas, Porzellan) auch shatter

2. fig. (Widerstand etc.) smash; sich (Dat) den Kopf zerbrechen rack one’s brains (über + Akk over)

II v/i (ist)

1. break (in oder to pieces); Glas, Porzellan: shatter

2. fig., Person: be crushed (oder broken) (an + Dat by); Freundschaft: break up

* * *

to break; to break up; to crack; to smash; to crash; to burst; to flaw; to go to pieces

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zer|brẹ|chen ptp zerbro\#chen [tsɛɐ'brɔxn] irreg

1. vt (lit)

to break into pieces; Glas, Porzellan etc to smash, to shatter; Ketten (lit, fig) to break, to sever; (fig) Widerstand to break down; Lebenswille to destroy

See:

→ Kopf

2. vi aux sein

to break into pieces; (Glas, Porzellan etc) to smash, to shatter; (fig) to be destroyed ( an +dat by); (Ehe) to fall apart; (Widerstand) to collapse ( an +dat in the face of)

er ist am Leben zerbrochen — he has been broken or destroyed by life

* * *

1) (to divide, separate or break into pieces: He broke up the old furniture and burnt it; John and Mary broke up (= separated from each other) last week.) break up

2) (to break (open): He cracked the peanuts between his finger and thumb.) crack

3) (to break into pieces: The glass is very strong but will fragment if dropped on the floor.) fragment

4) (to break with a sudden sharp noise: He snapped the stick in half; The handle of the cup snapped off.) snap

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zer·bre·chen *

irreg

I. vt Hilfsverb: haben

1. (in Stücke zerbrechen)

▪ etw \zerbrechen to break sth into pieces

ein Glas/einen Teller \zerbrechen to smash [or shatter] a glass/plate

eine Kette \zerbrechen to break [or sever] a chain

2. (zunichtemachen) to break down

jds Lebenswille \zerbrechen to destroy sb's will to live

eine Freundschaft \zerbrechen to destroy [or break up] a friendship; s.a. Kopf

II. vi Hilfsverb: sein

1. (entzweibrechen) to break into pieces

2. (in die Brüche gehen) to destroy; Partnerschaft to break up

3. (seelisch zugrunde gehen)

▪ an etw dat \zerbrechen to be destroyed by sth

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1.

unregelmäßiges intransitives Verb; mit sein break [into pieces]; smash [to pieces]; <glass> shatter; (fig.) <marriage, relationship> break up

2.

unregelmäßiges transitives Verb break; smash, shatter <dishes, glass>

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zerbrechen (irr)

A. v/t (hat zerbrochen)

1. break (in oder to pieces); (Glas, Porzellan) auch shatter

2. fig (Widerstand etc) smash;

sich (dat)

den Kopf zerbrechen rack one’s brains (

über +akk over)

B. v/i (ist)

1. break (in oder to pieces); Glas, Porzellan: shatter

2. fig, Person: be crushed (oder broken) (

an +dat by); Freundschaft: break up

* * *

1.

unregelmäßiges intransitives Verb; mit sein break [into pieces]; smash [to pieces]; <glass> shatter; (fig.) <marriage, relationship> break up

2.

unregelmäßiges transitives Verb break; smash, shatter <dishes, glass>

* * *

v.

to break to pieces expr.

to break up v.

to crack v.

to rupture v.