noun

brake

brayk

noun

A device that slows or stops a vehicle or machine, usually by friction, or the pedal or lever used to apply it.

"She slammed on the brakes to avoid the deer in the road."

"The mechanic replaced the worn brake pads."

verb

To slow down or stop a vehicle by using its brakes.

"He braked hard as the light turned red."

How to Use Brake

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA brake slows or stops movement, most commonly in a vehicle; to brake means to apply that slowing action.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with "break" (to split apart or damage) — they sound identical but mean very different things.

Easily confused with

break →

Common pairings

hit the brakes brake pedal emergency brake brake hard

Word Forms

braked past tense, braked past tense, brakes plural, brakes plural, brakes plural, brakes plural, brakes plural, Brakes plural, brakes singular, brakes singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

She slammed on the _____ to avoid the deer in the road.

Etymology

Origin uncertain, possibly from a Middle Dutch or Low German word related to breaking or restraining.

Antonyms

floor it put the pedal to the metal redline accelerate

Related Words

increase accelerate stop immobilize redline retard

Rhymes for brake

ake take make rake wake cake lake sake bake fake jake Dake

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floor it put the pedal to the metal redline accelerate increase stop immobilize retard