And the truth is that I had one eye on an ancient and timeless clock, hung uselessly in heaven; whose very name has passed into a figure for such bemused folly. In the true sense of an ancient phrase, I was moonstruck. A lunar landscape a scene of winter moonlight had inexplicably got in between me and all other scenes. If any one had asked me I could not have said what it was; I cannot say now. Nothing had occurred to me; except the breakdown of a hired motor on the ridge of a hill. It was not an adventure; it was a vision.英文原著 · 《A Miscellany of Men》
A special type of street pole had been devised by him for the three-wire system. [14] By reason of the experience gained at this station through the use of these crude plug-switches, Mr. Edison started a competition among a few of his assistants to devise something better. The result was the invention of a "breakdown" switch by Mr. Andrews, which was accepted by Mr. Edison as the best of the devices suggested, and was developed and used for a great many years afterward. Supplementing the story of Mr. Andrews is that of Lieut.英文原著 · 《Edison, His Life and Inventions》
"Guess not, only rather wild. They are older than our fellows, but they like Prince, he's such a jolly boy; sings so well, dances jigs and breakdowns, you know, and plays any game that's going. He beat Morse at billiards, and that's something to brag of, for Morse thinks he knows everything. I saw the match, and it was great fun!"英文原著 · 《Eight Cousins》
FANNY. Yes, that's what I feel--that you are worrying yourselves too much about me. You're too conscientious, all of you. You, in particular, Jane, because you know you're not strong. YOU'LL end up with a nervous breakdown. Bennet has entered. Honoria slips out. Fanny turns to her aunt.] I was just saying how anxious I'm getting about Jane.英文原著 · 《Fanny and the Servant Problem》
"I canna say it wullna be sair partin'--" And then, seeing the sympathy in the landlord's eye and fearing a disgraceful breakdown, Auld Jock checked his self betrayal. During the talk Bobby stood listening. At the abrupt ending, he put his shagged paws up on Auld Jock's knee, wistfully inquiring about this emotional matter. Then he dropped soberly, and slunk away under his master's chair.英文原著 · 《Greyfriars Bobby》
"But he was here one moment ago," said Herr Langen, a tired, pale youth, who was recovering from a nervous breakdown due to much philosophy and little nourishment. "He was sitting here, picking out the works of his watch with a hairpin!"英文原著 · 《In a German Pension》
That was more than ten years ago, which, even with the breakdown in Moore's Law, is more like 100.美剧 · 《Billions》
But behind pretty much every shouting match is a communications breakdown.美剧 · 《Billions》