brake
A device used to slow or stop the motion of a wheel, or of a vehicle, usually by friction (although other resistive forces, such as electromagnetic fields or aerodynamic drag, can also be used)
Example
“She slammed the brakes when she saw a child run in front of the car.”
Other meanings
The act of braking, of using a brake to slow down a machine or vehicle
An apparatus for testing the power of a steam engine or other motor by weighing the amount of friction that the motor will overcome; a friction brake.
Kinds of brake
- hand brake
- power brake
Example sentences
Word history
From Middle Low German "brake" (nose ring, curb, flax brake).
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “brake” on Wiktionary, by its contributors; example sentences are from Tatoeba, credited to their authors above; related-word lists use Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0, based on Princeton WordNet), published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.