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Breach

BREECH /briːtʃ/

nounverbC1GRESATTOEFLIELTS

FormalLegalBusiness

An act of breaking or failing to observe a law, agreement, or code of conduct.

Specifically refers to a violation of a duty or obligation, often with legal consequences, particularly in 'breach of contract.'

The story behind the word. The word 'breach' comes from the Old French breche, meaning 'a break' or 'an opening.' This, in turn, has Germanic roots. Think of a physical 'breach' in a wall or a dam – a sudden, damaging break that compromises its integrity. In a legal sense, a 'breach' of contract is exactly that: a damaging 'break' in the integrity of an agreement, causing it to fail and often leading to legal consequences.

Word relationships

Violation: An act of breaking a rule or law.
Infringement: The action of breaking the terms of a law, agreement, or right.
Contravention: An act that goes against a law, rule, or treaty.

Compliance: The act of obeying a rule or request.
Observance: The action or practice of fulfilling a law, duty, or custom.

Commonly confused with

Violation: While very similar, 'breach' is often specifically used in legal contexts for breaking a contract or duty, whereas 'violation' can apply more broadly to any rule or law.

Collocations

breach of contract
security breach
data breach
breach of trust
remedy a breach

Idioms & expressions

step into the breach

Example sentences

"The company was sued for breach of contract after failing to deliver the goods on time as stipulated in the agreement." Referring to a violation of a contract.
"A significant data breach exposed the personal information of millions of customers." Describing a violation of security.
"He felt that his privacy had been breached when his personal emails were read without permission." As a verb, to violate a trust.

Memory hook

A BREACH is a BREAK in an agreement. BREACH: BREAK agreement.

When not to use

While 'breach' can mean a gap or break in a physical sense, its legal use is very specific to violations of agreements or duties. Do not use it for minor disagreements or simple mistakes.

Fun facts

The military term 'breach' (to make a gap in a wall or fortification) shares the same etymology, emphasizing the idea of a forceful opening or breaking through.