break in (/breɪk ɪn/)
verb · Intermediate · Daily Life
🔊 /breɪk ɪn/
Meaning
Meaning: enter by force
To enter a building illegally and by force, usually to steal. It can also mean to interrupt.
Examples
🗣 Thieves broke in through the back window.
Etymology
From ‘break’ plus ‘in’, forcing entry into a place.
How & Where It’s Used
Common in talk about burglary.
Tags: phrasal-verb