different between housebreaker vs housebreak

English

Etymology

From house +? breaker.

Noun

housebreaker (plural housebreakers)

1. A criminal who breaks into and enters another's house or premises with the intent of committing a crime.
   • 1968 November 19, "‘Infuriated’ vicar's wife routs interloper," Montreal Gazette (Canada), page 9 (retrieved 21 Sep 2010):

     The vicar seized a sword and routed the housebreaker, but it was the vicar's wife in a nightgown and coat who caught up with the fleeing intruder, slapped his face and held him by the neck.

   • 2009 May 20, "Serial housebreaker nabbed," AsiaOne (Singapore) (retrieved 21 Sep 2010):

     A serial housebreaker who is believed to have stolen from several homes in Ang Mo Kio last month was nabbed on Tuesday.

Alternative forms

• house breaker
• house-breaker

Synonyms

• (Britain, slang) drummer

Translations

See also

• burglar

English

Etymology

house +? break, back-formed from housebroken in the animal-training sense.

Verb

housebreak (third-person singular simple present housebreaks, present participle housebreaking, simple past housebroke, past participle housebroken)

1. (transitive) To train an animal to avoid urinating or defecating in the house, except within a litterbox, toilet, or other receptacle.
2. (intransitive) To break into a house, typically to burgle it.

Synonyms

• (train an animal): toilet-train

Related terms

• housebreaker
• housebreaking

Translations

See also

• subdue
• break (e.g. a horse)
• domesticate