Words / B1

BRAYK/breɪk/

A brake slows a vehicle; put the brake on a process means slow it. Break is a pause or a smashed thing — a high-frequency mix-up. Breaks is not the spelling for the pedal. Rails: icy weather put a brake on the evening service.

Meaning

A device that slows a vehicle; put the brake on means to slow a process.

Examples

• “Icy rails put a brake on the evening service.”
• “Check the brake, not the break, before the MOT, which is the vehicle sense.”

Good to know

a brake; put the brake on + noun. Mix-up: break (pause / smash). Verb: brake. Transport / metaphor. Countable pedals.

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