break down
phrasal verb with break verb [ T ] uk/breɪk/ usbroke | broken
[ I or T ]
to separate, or to separate something, into smaller parts:
Can you break down our expenses by month and by region?
The data breaks down into three main categories.
[ I ]
if a machine or vehicle breaks down, it stops working:
Production has been slow because the equipment keeps breaking down.
[ I ]
if a system, relationship, or discussion breaks down, it fails because there is a problem or disagreement:
Negotiations with management broke down.