breaching
breaching — noun
1. the situation where someone does not follow what a law, contract, promise, or ac
the situation where someone does not follow what a law, contract, promise, or accepted standard requires them to do
The company's breaching of the safety rules resulted in a large fine.
breaching + of + noun phrase (rules / agreement / law)
Yara was accused of breaching the non-disclosure agreement she had signed with the publisher.
Any breaching of the ceasefire will be reported to the United Nations immediately.
The athlete faced a lifetime ban for breaching the competition's anti-doping policy.
- violation
more formal; often used for laws and rights
- infringement
usually refers to rights or intellectual property
- contravention
very formal; used for official rules or orders
- compliance
acting in accordance with rules or agreements
- observance
formal; keeping a law or tradition
用法筆記
Commonly combined with 'of': breaching of a contract / breaching of trust / breaching of rules. The noun form 'breach' is more frequent than the gerund 'breaching' in formal legal writing.
常見錯誤
2. an opening that appears in a wall, fence, or defensive structure, either created
an opening that appears in a wall, fence, or defensive structure, either created deliberately or caused by damage
The soldiers widened the breaching in the castle wall using a battering ram.
widened the breaching + in + [structure]
After the earthquake, a breaching in the dam sent floodwater racing into the valley.
Rescue crews cut a breaching through the collapsed concrete to reach the trapped miners.
The breaching in the garden fence was large enough for the deer to squeeze through.
用法筆記
Less common than the noun 'breach' for single openings. 'Breaching' tends to describe the process of creating the opening, or the opening as an ongoing state rather than a fixed hole. 'Gap', 'hole', or 'opening' are more frequent in everyday speech.
3. a serious break or interruption in friendly relations between people, groups, or
a serious break or interruption in friendly relations between people, groups, or countries
The breaching of trust between the two business partners destroyed years of collaboration.
breaching of trust — common collocation
Ravindra tried to heal the breaching between his family and the neighbours after the argument.
Diplomatic relations suffered a serious breaching when the ambassador was expelled.
A breaching between the two political parties kept them from forming a coalition government.
- reconciliation
restoring friendly relations after a disagreement
用法筆記
Often used with 'between' to name the two sides. The noun 'breach' is more common than 'breaching' for a single break in relations; 'breaching' suggests an ongoing or developing rift rather than a completed split.
常見錯誤
4. loud, aggressive, or unlawful conduct that happens where other members of the pu
loud, aggressive, or unlawful conduct that happens where other members of the public can see or hear it; also the legal accusation for such conduct
The three teenagers were arrested for breaching the peace outside the football stadium.
breaching the peace — legal phrase
Beatriz got a warning — her loud argument was treated as a breaching of public order.
The court found him guilty of breaching the peace by shouting threats in the square.
Residents complained about late-night music, seeing it as a breaching of their right to peace.
- disorderly conduct
more specific legal term in American English
- disturbing the peace
equivalent in American English
- public order offence
formal legal term in British English
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed legal phrase 'breaching the peace' (UK law) or 'breaching public order'. The noun 'breach of the peace' is more standard for the legal charge itself. This is a British-focused sense; in American English, 'disturbing the peace' is more common.
breaching — verb
- breachingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- breachings3rd person singular
- breachinging-ing form
- breachingedpast simple
1. to fail to do what a law, contract, promise, or accepted rule says you must do —
to fail to do what a law, contract, promise, or accepted rule says you must do — for example, a company that does not follow safety rules, or an employee who shares confidential information without permission
The construction firm was fined for breaching environmental regulations on the river project.
passive: was fined for breaching + [specific regulation]
By sharing the private email with reporters, Quan breached the terms of his employment contract.
Takeshi admitted breaching the non-compete clause when he started a similar business next door.
No hospital employee should breach a patient's right to privacy by leaking medical records.
The politician had breached election laws by accepting donations from foreign companies.
文法句型
breach + noun phrase (law / agreement / promise / trust)
用法筆記
Formal register — used in legal, business, and official contexts. More informal alternatives include 'break' (a promise), 'violate' (a rule), or 'go against' (an agreement). The verb 'breach' is less common in everyday conversation; 'break' is preferred.
常見錯誤
2. to create a gap by force through a barrier such as a wall, fence, or line of def
to create a gap by force through a barrier such as a wall, fence, or line of defence so that someone or something can get past it
The floodwaters breached the levee and surged into the farmland before dawn.
floodwaters breached + [barrier] — natural force subject
Firefighters breached the collapsed doorway with an axe to free the family inside.
Adisa watched the demolition crew breach the old factory wall with a wrecking ball.
During the training exercise, soldiers practised how to breach a barbed-wire fence quietly at night.
A small boat breached the security barrier around the naval base before being intercepted.
- break through
more common in everyday English; may be literal or figurative
- pierce
suggests a sharp, narrow opening
- penetrate
formal; suggests going through a defence or boundary
文法句型
breach + noun phrase (wall / fence / barrier / defences)
用法筆記
This sense is commonly used in military, emergency-response, and engineering contexts. In everyday conversation, 'break through', 'get through', 'cut through', or 'open' are more natural. The passive form ('the wall was breached') is frequent in news reports.