English

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Etymology

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From house +‎ break, back-formed from housebroken in the animal-training sense.

Pronunciation

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IPA(key): /haʊs.bɹeɪk/

Verb

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housebreak (third-person singular simple present housebreaks, present participle housebreaking, simple past housebroke, past participle housebroken)

  1. (transitive, US) To train an animal to avoid urinating or defecating in the house, except within a litterbox, toilet, or other receptacle.
  2. (intransitive, US) To break into a house, typically to burgle it.

Synonyms

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Translations

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See also

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