[f. BREAK v. + -AGE.]
1. The action or fact of breaking.
1813. Wellington, in Gurw., Disp., X. 373. There has already been much breakage.
1827. Q. Rev., XXXV. 151. The breakage of the crockery was the grand coup-de-théâtre.
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res., II. ii. In their [children’s] wanton breakages and defacements, you shall discern a creative instinct.
b. Music. The change in the quality of the voice in passing from one ‘register’ to another.
1883. Curwen, Standard Course, 105/2. It is remarkable that the change of breakage into this register should be just an octave higher than that into the thin register.
2. The results of breaking; loss or damage caused by breaking.
1848. Arnould, Mar. Insur. (1866), II. III. i. 667. A certain per centage is fixed … as the ordinary amount of leakage and breakage for which the Underwriter is in no case liable.
1849. Freese, Comm. Class-Bk., 77. When gold dust, or the precious metals in ore, are bought, the loss of weight or off-fall in refining, called in some places breakage.
3. An interruption caused by breaking; a break.
1871. Farrar, Witn. Hist., i. 36. Here then are miracles … breakages in the unbroken continuity.
1881. Stokes, in Nature, No. 626. 614. If there was a breakage in the cable something like 300 miles off.
4. Naut. (see quot.)
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., 130. Breakage, the leaving of empty spaces in stowing the hold.
Breakage2, var. form of BRAKEAGE.
