DCHP-2

break and enter break-and-enter, breaking and entering, B and E, B & E DCHP-2 (October 2016)

• n. — expression, Administration, Law

  to break into and enter a place with intent to commit a criminal offence or to actually commit such an offence; shortening of the legal term for a burglary breaking and entering.

  Type: 5. Frequency — In Canada, the term breaking and entering has replaced burglary in the Criminal Code. Breaking and entering can be prosecuted either as a minor or major crime, depending on the nature of the premises entered, whether a weapon was involved, and what kind of weapon was involved. See also Canadian Encylopedia reference.
  See also COD-2, s.v. "breaking and entering", Gage-3, s.v. "break and enter", Gage-5, s.v. "breaking and entering", which is marked "Law", ITP Nelson, s.v. "breaking and entering", which is marked "Law", and OED-3, s.v. "breaking" (1c), W-3, s.v. "break", AHD-5, s.v. "breaking and entering".

  See also: burglary  B & E  

  • While break and enter is the shortened form of the legal term breaking and entering, it is also commonly abbreviated, most frequently in writing and generally not in speech, to B and E or B & E.