break down

tomber en panne

Pour une machine, cesser de fonctionner à cause d’un problème.

En anglais simple : If a machine does this, it stops working because something is wrong with it.

• My car broke down yesterday.
• The washing machine keeps breaking down.
• What will we do if the bus breaks down?

Synonymes : fail, stop working

Expressions courantes : cars break down, machines break down, break down suddenly

craquer, s’effondrer

Perdre le contrôle de soi ou ne plus pouvoir faire face à cause du stress ou d’émotions fortes.

En anglais simple : If someone does this, strong feelings or stress make them lose control or become unable to cope.

• She broke down and cried.
• He nearly broke down under the pressure.
• I broke down when I heard about the accident.

Comment l'utiliser : break down in tears (She broke down in tears when she heard the news.); break down and do something (He broke down and began to sob.)

Synonymes : fall apart, collapse

Expressions courantes : break down crying, break down in tears, break down under pressure

décomposer, détailler

Diviser des informations en petites parties pour les expliquer clairement et en détail.

En anglais simple : If you do this, you divide information into smaller parts to explain it clearly and in detail.

• Please break down the costs for me.
• She broke the process down into five steps.
• Can you break these figures down by month?

Comment l'utiliser : break something down into something (She broke the task down into small steps.); break something down by something (The report breaks spending down by department.)

Synonymes : analyze, itemize

Expressions courantes : break down costs, break down the figures, break down something

se décomposer, décomposer

Se transformer en substances plus simples en pourrissant ou lors d’un traitement.

En anglais simple : If something does this, it slowly changes into simpler substances as it rots or is processed.

• Old leaves break down slowly.
• These bacteria break down dead plants.
• How long does food waste take to break down?

Comment l'utiliser : break down into something (The leaves break down into rich compost.); break something down (Bacteria break the waste down.)

Synonymes : decompose, decay, rot

Expressions courantes : leaves break down, break down food, break down into nutrients

s’effondrer, affaiblir, abattre

Ne plus fonctionner correctement, pour un système ou une relation ; aussi affaiblir des obstacles ou des résistances.

En anglais simple : If something does this, it becomes too weak to work properly; you can also cause this change.

• Their trust slowly broke down.
• The talks broke down after another disagreement.
• Shared activities can break down barriers between neighbours.

Comment l'utiliser : break something down (Regular contact helped break their resistance down.)

Synonymes : collapse, weaken

Expressions courantes : talks break down, break down barriers, break down resistance

céder

Finir par accepter de faire quelque chose qu’on refusait ou évitait jusque-là.

En anglais simple : If you do this, you finally agree to do something you had been refusing or avoiding.

• I broke down and said yes.
• She finally broke down and ordered dessert.
• Will he break down and pay for a taxi?

Comment l'utiliser : break down and do something (I broke down and bought a new phone.)

Synonymes : give in, relent

Contraires : resist

Expressions courantes : finally break down, break down and agree