break the record

break the record idiom
  1. Surpass a previous achievement, as in He was determined to break the record for the high jump. This usage is applied primarily to sports of various kinds. [1880s]
  2. Move very fast, as in The lecture was so dull that we broke the record getting to the door: [Second half of 1900s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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