1. Trespassing for an unlawful purpose; illegal entrance into premises with criminal intent
   "The series of break-ins in the neighbourhood led to increased police patrols";
   - housebreaking, breaking and entering

1. Enter someone's (virtual or real) property in an unauthorized manner, usually with the intent to steal or commit a violent act
   "Someone broke in while I was on vacation";
   - break
    
2. Intrude on uninvited
   "The nosy couple broke in on our conversation"
    
3. Break into a conversation
   "her husband always breaks in, even when he is not involved in the conversation";
   - chime in [informal], cut in, put in, butt in [informal], barge in [informal], chip in [informal]
    
4. Start in a certain activity, enterprise, or role
   "The new employee broke in as a cashier"
    
5. Break so as to fall inward
   "He broke in the door"
    
6. Make submissive, obedient, or useful
   "I broke in the new intern";
   - break
    
7. Gradually make new shoes or clothing more comfortable through wear
   "I need to break in these leather boots"

Derived forms: break-ins, broke in, breaking in, breaks in, broken in

Type of: begin, break, burglary, cut off, disrupt, domesticate, domesticise [Brit], domesticize, get, get down, interrupt, intrude, irrupt, reclaim, set about, set out, start, start out, tame, trespass

Encyclopedia: Break-in