Parting or dividing by force and violence a solid substance, or piercing, penetrating, or bursting through the same. 2. In cases of burglary and house-breaking, the removal, of any part of the house, or of the fastenings provided to secure it, with violence and a felonious intent, is called a breaking. 3. The breaking is actual, as in the above case; or constructive, as when the burglar or house-breaker gains an entry by fraud, conspiracy or threats. In England it has been decided that if the sash of a window be partly open, but not sufficiently so to admit a person, the raising of it so as to admit a person is not a breaking of the house. No reasons are assigned. It is difficult to conceive, if this case be law, what further opening will amount to a breaking.
Law Dictionary – Alternative Legal Definition
Forcibly separating, parting, disintegrating, or piercing any solid substance. In the law as to housebreaking and burglary, it means the tearing away or removal of any part of a house or of the locks, latches, or other fastenings intended to secure it, or otherwise exerting force to gain an entrance, with the intent to commit a felony; or violently or forcibly breaking out of a house, after having unlawfully entered it, in the attempt to escape. Gaddie v. Com., 117 Ky. 468, 78 S. W. 163, 111 Am. St. Rep. 259; Sims v. State, 136 Ind. 358, 36 N. E. 278; Melton v. State, 24 Tex. App. 287, 6 S. W. 303; Mathews v. State, 36 Tex. 675; Carter v. State, 68 Ala. 98; State v. Newbegin, 25 Me. 503; McCourt v. People, 64 N. Y. 585. In the law of burglary, “constructive” breaking, as distinguished from actual, forcible breaking, may be classed under the following heads: (1) Entries obtained by threats; (2) when, in consequence of violence done or threatened in order to obtain entry, the owner, with a view more effectually to repel it, opens the door and sallies out and the felon enters; (3) when entrance is obtained by procuring the service of some intermediate person, such as a servant, to remove the fastening; (4) when some process of law is fraudulently resorted to for the purpose of obtaining an entrance; (5) when some trick is resorted to to induce the owner to remove the fastenings and open the door. State v. Henry, 31 N. O. 468; Clarke v. Com., 25 Grat. (Va.) 912; Ducher v. State, 18 Ohio, 317; Johnston v. Com., 85 Pa. 64, 27 Am. Rep. 622; Nicholls v. State, 68 Wis. 416, 32 N. W. 543, 60 Am. Rep. 870. Breaking a case. The expression by the judges of a court, to one another, of their views of a case, in order to ascertain how far they are agreed, and as preliminary to the formal delivery of their opinions. “We are breaking the case, that we may show what is in doubt with any of us.” Holt, C. JM addressing Dol bin. J., 1 Show. 423. Breaking bulk. The offense committed by a bailee (particularly a carrier) in opening or unpacking the chest, parcel, or case containing goods intrusted to his care, and removing the goods and converting them to his own use. Breaking doors. Forcibly removing the fastenings of a house, so that a person may enter. Breaking jail. The act of a prisoner in effecting his escape from a place of lawful confinement. Escape, while denoting the offense of the prisoner in unlawfully leaving the jail, may also connote the fault or negligence of the sheriff or keeper, and hence is of wider significance than “breaking jail” or “prison breach.”-i Breaking of arrestment. In Scotch law. The contempt of the law committed by an arrestee who disregards the arrestment used in his hands, and pays the sum or delivers the goods arrested to the debtor The breaker is liable to the arrester in damages. See Areestment.