break‧fast S2 W2 /ˈbrekfəst/ noun [uncountable and countable]
[Date: 1400-1500; Origin: break + fast⁴]
the meal you have in the morning:
We had bacon and eggs for breakfast.
I never eat breakfast.
After a hearty breakfast (=large breakfast), we set out for a hike.
a light breakfast (=small breakfast)
a working breakfast (=a breakfast at which you talk about business)
—breakfast verb [intransitive]
⇒ bed and breakfast, continental breakfast, English breakfast, ⇒ wedding breakfast at wedding(1), ⇒ make a dog’s breakfast of something at dog¹(8)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

breakfast
noun
ADJ. big, full, good, hearty, large, proper, solid, substantial | light, modest | cooked, fried | continental, English, American-style a full English breakfast of cereal, bacon and eggs and toast
buffet/buffet-style | hasty, hurried, quick | leisurely, long | early, late | working | champagne
BREAKFAST + NOUN cereal | dishes, things Would you clear away the breakfast things?
room | meeting | show, television
PHRASES bed and breakfast Bed and breakfast accommodation is available near the museum.
breakfast in bed He treated his wife to breakfast in bed on her birthday.
 ⇒ Note at MEAL (for verbs)

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

breakfast

have/eat breakfast
Paul got up, washed and had breakfast.
have something for breakfast
What do you usually have for breakfast?
a big breakfast
Most people don’t eat a big breakfast nowadays.
a good/proper breakfast (=big and healthy)
I think kids need a good breakfast before they go to school.
a hearty breakfast written (=big)
The price includes a hearty breakfast.
a small/light breakfast
She ate a light breakfast of toast and coffee.
an English/a full breakfast (=a big breakfast with bacon, egg, toast etc - used especially in hotels)
A lot of people like to have an English breakfast on holiday.
a cooked/fried breakfast (=bacon, egg, toast etc)
Do you feel like having a cooked breakfast?
a buffet breakfast (=one in a hotel, where you serve yourself)
A buffet breakfast is served in the hotel's elegant dining room.
a continental breakfast (=coffee and bread with butter and jam)
Continental breakfast can be served in your room.
a quick/hasty/hurried breakfast
I grabbed a quick breakfast and ran to the bus stop.
a long/leisurely breakfast (=not hurried)
On Sunday mornings I like to have a leisurely breakfast.
an early/late breakfast
We had an early breakfast and left before 7.30.
a working breakfast (=at which you talk about business)
She suggested we meet at 8.30 for a working breakfast.
the breakfast dishes
Did you put the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher?
the breakfast things (=dishes, packets etc)
Dad was clearing the breakfast things away.
a breakfast table/room
The house has a large kitchen and a breakfast room.
breakfast cereal
Many breakfast cereals are high in sugar.
breakfast time
I don’t like talking at breakfast time.
breakfast television/TV (=programmes on television in the early morning)
The children all eat their cereal in front of breakfast television.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

breakfast
noun
1.
BAD: After the breakfast, we went shopping.
GOOD: After breakfast, we went shopping.
BAD: Before my breakfast I usually go for a run.
GOOD: Before breakfast I usually go for a run.

Usage Note:
When breakfast/lunch/dinner etc refer to an event (rather than to the meal itself), they are used without a/the/this/my etc: 'What shall we do after lunch?' 'Pam and Simon have invited us to dinner.' 'What time do you have breakfast?'
You use a/the/this/my etc when you refer to the meal itself: 'We enjoyed the evening, even though the dinner was cold.' 'I don't usually have time for a cooked breakfast.'

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2.
BAD: Before I have a breakfast, I usually make my bed.
GOOD: Before I have (my) breakfast, I usually make my bed.
BAD: Every morning my first job is to prepare a breakfast.
GOOD: Every morning my first job is to prepare (the) breakfast.

Usage Note:
have (your) breakfast/lunch/dinner etc (NOT a ): 'Have you had (your) breakfast yet?'
make/prepare (the/your) breakfast/lunch/dinner etc (NOT a ): 'Whose turn is it to make the dinner tonight?'
Use a/an with breakfast/lunch/dinner etc only when you describe the meal: 'a cooked breakfast', 'a big breakfast', 'an American breakfast'.

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3.
BAD: There wasn't enough time to eat breakfast.
GOOD: There wasn't enough time to have breakfast.
BAD: While I am taking breakfast, I listen to the radio.
GOOD: While I am having breakfast, I listen to the radio.

Usage Note:
have (your) breakfast/lunch/dinner etc (NOT eat/take): 'We had dinner in the hotel restaurant.'
have sth for breakfast/lunch/dinner etc: 'What did you have for lunch?'
Do not use eat unless you wish to emphasize the activity of eating. Compare: 'We prefer to have dinner in the evening.' 'James always takes a long time to eat his dinner.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

breakfast a meal that you eat in the morning
brunch a meal that you eat in the late morning, instead of breakfast or lunch
lunch a meal that you eat in the middle of the day
tea British English a meal that you eat in the afternoon or evening
dinner the main meal of the day, which most people eat in the evening
supper a small meal that you eat in the evening, in British English; the main meal that you eat in the evening, in American English
picnic a meal that you eat outdoors, consisting of food that you cooked or prepared earlier
barbecue a meal that you cook outdoors over hot coals or wood and eat outdoors
snack a small amount of food that is eaten between main meals or instead of a meal
side dish food eaten with the main course, such as vegetables:
I’ll have the salad as a side dish.
course one of the separate parts of a meal, such as the starter or the dessert:
a three-course meal
bake to cook things such as bread or cakes in an oven:
Tom baked a cake for my birthday.
roast to cook meat or vegetables in an oven:
Roast the potatoes for an hour.
fry to cook food in hot oil:
She was frying some mushrooms.
stir-fry to fry small pieces of food while moving them around continuously:
stir-fried tofu and bean sprouts
sauté /ˈsəʊteɪ $ soʊˈteɪ/ to fry vegetables for a short time in a small amount of butter or oil:
Sauté the potatoes in butter.
grill to cook food over or under strong heat:
grilled fish
broil American English to cook food under heat:
broiled fish
boil to cook something in very hot water:
He doesn’t even know how to boil an egg.
English people seem to love boiled vegetables.
steam to cook vegetables over hot water:
Steam the rice for 15 minutes.
poach to cook food, especially fish or eggs, slowly in hot water:
poached salmon
toast to cook the outside surfaces of bread:
toasted muffins
microwave to cook food in a microwave oven:
The beans can be microwaved.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

breakfast a meal that you eat in the morning
brunch a meal that you eat in the late morning, instead of breakfast or lunch
lunch a meal that you eat in the middle of the day
tea British English a meal that you eat in the afternoon or evening
dinner the main meal of the day, which most people eat in the evening
supper a small meal that you eat in the evening, in British English; the main meal that you eat in the evening, in American English
picnic a meal that you eat outdoors, consisting of food that you cooked or prepared earlier
barbecue a meal that you cook outdoors over hot coals or wood and eat outdoors
snack a small amount of food that is eaten between main meals or instead of a meal
side dish food eaten with the main course, such as vegetables:
I’ll have the salad as a side dish.
course one of the separate parts of a meal, such as the starter or the dessert:
a three-course meal
hors d'oeuvre (also starter British English, appetizer American English) the small first part of a meal:
a tempting plate of hors d'oeuvres including olives and small pieces of roast beetroot
main course (also entrée especially American English) the main part of a meal. entrée is used especially on restaurant menus:
For the main course we had cheese and onion pie.
The menu includes a few hot entrées.
dessert (also pudding British English or sweet British English) sweet food eaten at the end of a meal:
What do you want for dessert?
They serve a wide range of desserts, including ice cream and home-made apple pie.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲