/'breɪkdaʊn; `brek,daun/
n
1 mechanical failure 机械的故障
*Our car/We had a breakdown on the motorway. 我们的汽车[我们]在高速公路上抛锚了.
2 collapse or failure 瓦解; 失败; 破裂
*a breakdown of negotiations on disarmament 裁军谈判的破裂.
3 weakening or collapse of sb's (esp mental) health 身体（尤指精神）衰弱
*The strain of his job led to the complete breakdown of his health. 他工作过度, 把身体完全累垮了.
* She suffered a nervous breakdown. 她患神经衰弱.
4 statistical analysis 统计分析
*a breakdown of expenditure 支出的统计分析.

n
[U and C]
the failure of a relationship or system
breakdown of
　He moved away after the breakdown of his marriage.
　A sudden rise in oil prices could lead to a breakdown of the economy.
breakdown in
　There has been a serious breakdown in relations between the two countries.
marriage/marital/family breakdown
　Family breakdown can lead to behavioural problems in children.
[C]
a serious medical condition in which someone becomes mentally ill and is unable to work or deal with ordinary situations in life
　I was worried he might have a breakdown if he carried on working so hard.
　Two years ago he suffered a mental breakdown .
　She had already had one nervous breakdown .
[C]
an occasion when a car or a piece of machinery breaks and stops working
　Always carry a phone with you in case you have a breakdown on the motorway.
breakdown in
　a breakdown in the cooling system
[C]
a list of all the separate parts of something
breakdown of
　Can you give us a breakdown of the figures?
　a breakdown of the costs
[singular]
the changing of a substance into other substances
　the breakdown of glucose in the body to release energy
→break downatbreak¹