[f. BREAK v.]
1. That breaks, in various senses (chiefly intr.) of the verb.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., II. ii. 128. A drop of water in the breaking gulfe. Ibid. (1593), Rich. II., III. ii. 3. Your late tossing on the breaking Seas.
1655. S. Ashe, Fun. Serm., 18 June, 11. He was ready to fall upon idolatrous Israel with breaking blowes.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 51. Beams differently breaking or refrangible.
1678. Manton, Wks. (1871), II. 190. His ruinous and breaking condition.
1713. Young, Last Day, II. 187. Breaking dawn Rouz’d the broad front.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), Ecume, the froth or foam of a breaking sea.
1814. Southey, Roderick, xxiv. Within her breaking heart.
1820. Byron, Juan, V. cliv. To save the credit of their breaking bank.
1881. Daily News, 9 July, 2. Lucas was bowled for a breaking ball.
b. with down, in, up, etc.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxxviii. (1856), 347. The first breaking-in day of Spring.
1858. Greener, Gunnery, 237. An apparently crazy and breaking-up constitution displays itself most clearly.
1879. McCarthy, Own Times, II. 306. The confusion was that of a breaking-down system.
2. In comb. with sbs., as heart-breaking, etc.
1874. Aldrich, Prud. Palfrey, vii. (1885), 116. It was heart-breaking work sometimes and back-breaking work always.
3. Breaking-joint: see BREAK v. 31 and JOINT sb.
