break ground

commencer les travaux, commencer à creuser

Commencer à creuser la terre pour construire un bâtiment ou planter.

En anglais simple : To start digging the earth for a new building or for planting.

• They broke ground yesterday.
• We will break ground on the hospital next week.
• The farmers broke ground for their new vegetable beds.

Comment l'utiliser : break ground on something (The builders will break ground on the new school in June.)

Synonymes : begin digging

Expressions courantes : break ground today, break ground here

innover, ouvrir de nouvelles voies

Lancer quelque chose de nouveau ou réussir quelque chose qui n’avait jamais été fait.

En anglais simple : To start something new or achieve something that has not been done before.

• Their research broke ground.
• This small company is breaking ground in clean energy.
• The director broke ground with her unusual use of sound.

Comment l'utiliser : break ground in something (Her team broke ground in cancer research.)

Synonymes : innovate, pioneer

Expressions courantes : break ground in science, break ground in design

se détacher du fond

Pour une ancre, se détacher du fond de la mer quand on la remonte.

En anglais simple : When an anchor does this, it lifts off the bottom of the sea as it is pulled up.

• The anchor broke ground.
• The crew waited for the anchor to break ground.
• Once the anchor had broken ground, the ship began to move.

Synonymes : come free

Expressions courantes : break ground slowly, break ground cleanly

décoller

Pour un avion, quitter le sol et commencer à voler.

En anglais simple : When an aircraft does this, it leaves the ground and starts flying.

• The plane broke ground.
• We watched the small aircraft break ground.
• The wheels stopped turning after the aircraft had broken ground.

Synonymes : take off, lift off

Contraires : land

Expressions courantes : break ground smoothly, break ground safely