For example, in terms of the atomic theory of matter, at the time at the turn of the Century, the understanding was that atoms were the most basic constituent of matter, meaning you couldn't break atoms up into anything smaller - that was it, you're done.

例如在原子理论中,在19，20世纪之交的时候,人们认为原子是,组成物质的最基本粒子,也就是说你不能,把原子再分割了,就这样了。

麻省理工公开课 - 化学原理课程节选

They break up this sort of urban-ness of the city.

它们打破了城市的某种城市化的东西。

讲述伦敦的生活 - SpeakingMax英语口语达人

You know, one famous tactic is--if you have an infantry force coming forward, you send tanks in it to break up the line of the infantry, so that you can defeat the infantry in that way.

最有名的战术是,如果有敌方步兵逼近,你把坦克派过去,破坏他们的步兵阵型,以这种策略对付步兵

耶鲁公开课 - 古希腊历史简介课程节选