student asking question

What does "break down" mean?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

"break down" has various meaning. So you need to see the situation that this phrase is used. 1. "The school bus broke down.": If it is used with the machine, it means the machine stops working. 2. "Negotiations have broken down.": If it is used in communication, it means the communication fails because of some problem or disagreement. 3. "She broke down.": If it is used for feeling or action, it means someone is unable to control their feelings and starts to cry.

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