branch out—1. (of a tree) spread out into branches: The tree branched out in every direction, casting a vast shadow over the house. 2. = branch off: After a pair of bends in descent the asphalt ends and the road branches out in three directions. 3. add new interests or activities: John started a television repair shop, then he branched out and began selling television sets too. brand-name dropping • name-dropping brand-name dropping —attempting to impress others by mentioning the brand names of goods that one owns: We just lay there on my Thermarest Ultra-Light listening to my tiny Grundig shortwave and had a great old time. Sorry about all the brand-name-dropping … name-dropping —attempting to impress others by familiarly mentioning the names of distinguished people in order to imply one’s own importance: Clarke loves to make fun of his name-dropping . “Name-dropping is vulgar as I told the Queen last week,” he joked. brand-iron • branding iron brand-iron—1. framework of metal bars used to support burning wood: What are usually called dog-irons on the hearth are called brand-irons , having to support the brand or burning log. 2. (dated) a tool used red-hot for branding cattle or implements: In one farm, the brand iron did not correspond to the brand registered on the official bulletin of the owner. branding iron— = brand iron 2: The branding iron must burn deep enough to burn the hair and the outer layer of skin. brass hat • tin hat brass hat—(coll.) 1. a senior officer in the armed forces: For two hours in late January, the brass hats of the Pentagon clois- tered themselves with President Clinton. 2. any important or influential person: The trouble was that he was a curate, and the brass hats of the Church look askance at curates who swat parishioners. tin hat—a steel trench helmet: The trench hat, “the old tin hat ,” is coming into quite extensive use as a means of head protection against small falls of rock in mines. brave it out • put up a brave front brave it out— deal with a frightening or upsetting situation in a brave way: Several were wading about in the water. Two were braving it out in swim-trunks. put up a brave front—make a pretence of courage and brav- ery: We know that Mary is frightened, but she is putting up a brave front . breach of arrest • breach of arrestment breach of arrest—(Military legal) said of an arrested person going beyond the limits of arrest as set by orders: If, after such arrest, he commits a breach of arrest , an additional charge will properly be added in the case… breach of arrestment—(Scot., legal) illegal disposal of prop- erty placed under the control of a law-court: A third party– arrestee parting with arrested property in breach of arrestment may be required to pay its amount… break a fly upon the wheel • fly on the wheel break a fly upon the wheel—spend a great deal of effort upon smth. not worth it: To apply more elaborate criticism to them, would be “to break a fly upon the wheel .” fly on the wheel—a person who fancies himself of impor- tance, but who is in reality of none at all: The world grinds on: we are a fly on the wheel . break an agreement • break off an agreement break an agreement—act in opposition to an agreement; vi- olate an agreement: It was made clear that if Janet were to break this agreement the therapist would discontinue contact with her. break off an agreement—cancel or terminate an agreement: Tensions prevailed and things came to a point of no return when Lufthansa unilaterally broke off the agreement . break away • break off • break out break away —come apart from smth.: The wing of the plane broke away in mid-air. break off—1. = break away: The mast had broken off at its base, and lay over the side of the boat. 2. stop speaking: Jim was in the middle of a funny story when he broke off to answer the telephone. 3. stop working for a short time: Let’s break off and have a cup of tea. break out—(of a war, fire, etc.) begin suddenly: A fire broke out in the hospital last night. break camp • break out of camp break camp—leave a camp or a camping-place: The daily routine will be to break camp after breakfast and load our equipment onto the boats. break out of camp —escape from a detention camp: The fol- lowing day they tried to break out of camp and although un- armed they were shot down. break down • break up break down —1. (of machinery) fail to operate: The car broke down on the way to the airport, and I had to take a taxi. 2. (of an attack, talks, etc.) fail; come to nothing: I expect the negotiations to break down soon. 3. suffer emotional disorder; lose control of oneself: The task before her was so difficult that she almost broke down in performing it. break up —1. (of things) separate into smaller pieces or parts: In spring the ice on the Great Lakes breaks up . 2. (of a party, meeting, etc.) come to an end: The party broke up when the police arrived. 3. (U.S. coll.) convulse with laughter; be greatly amused: Peter just broke up when we told him what had hap- pened. 4. (of married people) separate: She had heard that John and Lucille had just broken up . break even • get an even break break even —emerge from a transaction, etc. with balancing gains and losses; make neither profit nor loss: Today a novel needs to sell 5,000 copies for a publisher to break even . get an even break —(coll.) get an equal or fair chance; get the same opportunity as other people: Some guys never get an even break . Some guys toil and sweat from sun up to sun down. break into a bank • break the bank break into a bank —get into a bank by using force (breaking a lock, window, etc.) with the intention to rob: Champ’s ac- complice produces blueprints showing how they can break into the bank by digging a tunnel under the sweet shop. break the bank—1. win all the money at a casino gambling table: He broke the bank at every roulette table he played in, which essentially meant that he won all the money set for that table. 2. (often negat.) be too expensive: Even well-known brand names, such as Revlon and L’Oreal stock affordable products that won’t break the bank , so it’s good to go hunting around for sales. break it down • break it up break it down—1. explain smth.: Let me break it down for you—when a dog shows its teeth, it’s about to attack you. 2. (Austral., NZ sl.) stop it; come off it (used as an expression of disbelief, disagreement or a plea for moderation): Let’s break it down . I said I don’t know the man. Never met him. brand-name dropping – 56 –