break bread
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.42 in modern English
19
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
1
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To eat a meal, especially to eat a shared meal with friends, family, guests, etc.; to be in fellowship with others by eating with them.
verb
To take part in Holy Communion.
Example Sentences
- "The knight swore he would not break bread in the castle again until he received reparation for the insult."
- "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight."
- "At last it was decided that he should take her, reaching the place about the hour of lunch, so that he might again break bread in her father's house."
- "In baptism we make covenant; in communion we renew covenant week by week. . . . After offering prayers of thanksgiving, together we break bread and drink from the cup."
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English breken bred; under medieval conditions, guests brought their own knives worn with them, which were their daggers they hunted and gathered with, then only fit to cut meat. From the expression “break bread with friends” the ellipsis “break bread” implying community developed.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Inflected Forms
Phrases
breaking of bread