English

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Etymology

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From Middle English forbreken, from Old English forbrecan (to break up, break in pieces, violate, destroy), from Proto-Germanic *frabrekaną (to break up), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰreg- (to break), equivalent to for- (fully, up) +‎ break. Cognate with Dutch verbreken (to sever, disrupt), German verbrechen (to commit, perpetrate).

Verb

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forbreak (third-person singular simple present forbreaks, present participle forbreaking, simple past forbroke, past participle forbroken)

  1. (archaic) To break in pieces, break up, destroy.
  2. (archaic) To break through, interrupt.