breach
- 01 C1 Advanced
n.an act of breaking a law, promise, or agreement.
n.an infraction or violation of a legal obligation, contract, or code of conduct.
Simple“The company was sued for a breach of contract after they failed to deliver the goods.”
In context“The legal team argued that the disclosure of confidential documents constituted a material breach of the non-disclosure agreement signed last year.”
UsageOften used in the phrase 'breach of contract' or 'breach of trust'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.an event where a computer system is entered without permission.
n.an incident in which sensitive, protected, or confidential data is accessed or stolen by an unauthorised person.
Simple“The bank notified its customers about a data breach that exposed their credit card numbers.”
In context“Following the massive security breach, the IT department implemented multi-factor authentication across all internal servers to prevent future intrusions.”
Antonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
n.a hole or opening made in a wall, fence, or defensive line.
n.a physical gap or opening created by force in a fortification, wall, or barrier.
Simple“The soldiers managed to climb through a breach in the castle wall.”
In context“Floodwaters poured through a narrow breach in the levee, threatening to submerge the low-lying farmland within hours.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
v.when a whale or dolphin leaps out of the water.
v.to leap clear of the water, typically said of whales or other large marine mammals.
Simple“We were lucky to see a humpback whale breach right next to our boat.”
In context“Marine biologists observed the pod for several hours, recording the frequency with which the younger males would breach during the mating season.”
Usage breach of trust · breach of the court
From Middle English breche, from Old English bryċe (“fracture, breach”) and brǣċ (“breach, breaking, destruction”), from Proto-West Germanic bruki, from Proto-Germanic brukiz (“breach, fissure”) and *brēkō (“breaking”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.