break ground
Idioms-
Also, break new ground.
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Begin digging into the earth for new construction of some kind. For example, When will they break ground for the town hall? This usage alludes to breaking up the land with a plow. [Early 1700s]
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Take the first steps for a new venture; advance beyond previous achievements. For example, Jeff is breaking new ground in intellectual property law . [Early 1700s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Purple Line extension project — with the goal of adding seven stations and expanding service on the line to Hancock Park, Century City, Beverly Hills and Westwood — broke ground more than a decade ago.
From Los Angeles Times
Near Syracuse, Micron just broke ground on a $100 billion fab complex that represents the state of New York’s largest-ever private investment.
“Paul cooks with that weight in mind. If there’s a parallel to my story at Momofuku, it’s not about breaking ground—it’s about insisting that food with deep cultural roots deserves ambition, nuance and respect.”
To support increased production, Lockheed Martin said it would break ground on a new facility in Camden, Arkansas.
They broke ground on a center that will allow them to provide after-school care for kids where they can do homework, build relationships and confidence in a safe environment.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
