break even

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break even (third-person singular simple present breaks even, present participle breaking even, simple past broke even, past participle broken even)

1. (idiomatic) To neither gain nor lose money.

   After an entire night playing poker, he nearly broke even.

   • 2023 March 8, David Clough, “The long road that led to Beeching”, in RAIL, number 978, page 43:

     The BTC had no clear plan how to fulfil its remit to break even, year-on-year.

2. (idiomatic) To stay the same; to neither advance nor regress.

   It's a lot of work just to break even and keep the weeds down.

• break-even
• break-even point
• break-even time

• pay for itself
• wash its face