Phrase guide

break wind

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To expel gases generated during digestion, especially through the anus; to fart.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: euphemistic, idiomatic

Examples

  • I broke wind and excused myself afterwards.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

expel intestinal gases through the anus

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fart

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: act involuntarily, act reflexively

History

Etymology

First attested 1552. From break + wind (“flatulence”). Compare Saterland Frisian wiendje (“to break wind”).

Across languages

Translations

60 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: ضَرَطَ (ḍaraṭa) — to flatulate
  • Bulgarian: пу́скам га́зове (púskam gázove) — to flatulate
  • Cheyenne: -pánestse — to flatulate
  • Chinese Mandarin: 放屁 (fàngpì) — to flatulate
  • Czech: pouštět větry — to flatulate
  • Dutch: een wind laten — to flatulate
  • Dutch: een scheet laten — to flatulate
  • Esperanto: furzi — to flatulate
  • Finnish: pierrä — to flatulate
  • French: lâcher — to flatulate
  • French: en lâcher un — to flatulate
  • French: péter — to flatulate
  • French: lâcher une perle — to flatulate
  • French: loufer — to flatulate
  • German: furzen — to flatulate
  • Greek: κλάνω (kláno) — to flatulate
  • Ancient Greek: πέρδομαι (pérdomai) — to flatulate
  • Ancient Greek: ἀποπέρδομαι (apopérdomai) — to flatulate
  • Ancient Greek: βδέω (bdéō) — to flatulate
  • Hungarian: szellent — to flatulate
  • Ido: flatuar — to flatulate
  • Indonesian: buang angin — to flatulate
  • Indonesian: buang gas — to flatulate
  • Italian: mollarne una — to flatulate
  • Japanese: おならをする (onara o suru) — to flatulate
  • Japanese: 屁をひる (he o hiru) — to flatulate
  • Korean: 방귀뀌다 (banggwikkwida) — to flatulate
  • Latin: ventum ēmittō — to flatulate
  • Latin: pēdō — to flatulate
  • Middle Low German: pupen — to flatulate
  • Macedonian: пу́ва (púva) — to flatulate
  • Māori: keho — to flatulate
  • Māori: hengo — to flatulate
  • Māori: hemo — to flatulate
  • Māori: hemo te tou — to flatulate
  • Māori: patero — to flatulate
  • Māori: pāterotero — to flatulate
  • Māori: tē — to flatulate
  • Māori: pīhau — to flatulate
  • Māori: pīhauhau — to flatulate
  • Mongolian: унгах (ungax) — to flatulate
  • Mongolian: ᠤᠩᠭᠤᠬᠤ (ungɣuqu) — to flatulate
  • Polish: puszczać gazy — to flatulate
  • Polish: puścić gazy — to flatulate
  • Polish: psuć powietrze — to flatulate
  • Polish: zepsuć powietrze — to flatulate
  • Portuguese: soltar gases — to flatulate
  • Russian: пу́кать (púkatʹ) — to flatulate
  • Russian: пу́кнуть (púknutʹ) — to flatulate
  • Russian: испуска́ть га́зы (ispuskátʹ gázy) — to flatulate
  • Russian: испусти́ть га́зы (ispustítʹ gázy) — to flatulate
  • Sanskrit: पर्दते (pardate) — to flatulate
  • Sicilian: piditari — to flatulate
  • Sicilian: lassàrisi jiri — to flatulate
  • Spanish: peer — to flatulate
  • Spanish: peerse — to flatulate
  • Turkish: yellenmek — to flatulate
  • Ottoman Turkish: اوصورمق (osurmak) — to flatulate
  • Ottoman Turkish: یللنمك (yellenmek) — to flatulate
  • Welsh: taro rhech — to flatulate