brake

brake¹ [breık] n

1.) a piece of equipment that makes a vehicle go more slowly or stop

▪ Test your brakes after driving through water.

▪ Moira slammed on the brakes (=use them suddenly and with a lot of force) and skidded to a halt.

▪ I managed to put on the brakes just in time.

the rear/front brakes

▪ a car equipped with anti-lock brakes

▪ the screech of brakes (=the loud unpleasant noise they can make)

apply the brakes

formal

▪ Williams testified that he tried to apply the brakes but couldn't stop the vehicle in time.

2.) act as a brake on sth

to make something develop more slowly, be more difficult to do, or happen less

▪ Rises in interest rates usually act as a brake on expenditure.

3.) put the brakes on sth

to stop something that is happening

brake ²

brake² v [I]

to make a vehicle or bicycle go more slowly or stop by using its brake

brake sharply/hard

(=brake quickly)

▪ He braked sharply to avoid the dog.