Dictionary

break off en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English breke of (“break off, terminate”), a dissimilated form of earlier Middle English ofbreken. By surface analysis, break + off.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To remove a piece from a whole by breaking or snapping.
   • She unwrapped the slab of chocolate and broke off a piece.
   • The bees came and found no one but the Woodman to sting, so they flew at him and broke off all their stings against the tin, without hurting the Woodman at all. 1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC:
2. (intransitive) To become detached by breaking or snapping.
   • A chunk of rock broke off from the cliff face.
3. (transitive) To discontinue abruptly.
   • When the yacht had passed the man resumed the conversation that her appearance had broken off. 1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 101:
   • Both families want the lovers to break off any relationship they may have.
   • In fact I never said it; she eventually realised I was someone else, and broke off the conversation abruptly. 2023 February 25, Tim Dowling, “Tim Dowling: I’m revisiting my worst ever moment on stage – a Christmas panto”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 16 Jun 2023:
4. (intransitive) To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently.
   • Our school doesn't break off until July.
   • Then the conversation broke off, and there was little more talking, only a noise of men going backwards and forwards, and of putting down of kegs and the hollow gurgle of good liquor being poured from breakers into the casks. [1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC:
   • “[…]Because desire just cheats you. It's like a sunbeam skipping here and there about a room. It stops and gilds some inconsequential object, and we poor fools try to grasp it—but when we do the sunbeam moves on to something else, and you've got the inconsequential part, but the glitter that made you want it is gone—” He broke off uneasily. 1922, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, “A Matter of Civilization”, in The Beautiful and Damned, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, book 3, page 341:
5. (ambitransitive) To play the first shot in a frame of snooker, billiards or pool.
   • Ted's opening line, when Steve broke off for the deciding frame, was, 'Last night we put our clocks back one hour. These two stars turned theirs back to April.' 2017, John Virgo, Say Goodnight, JV - My Autobiography, John Blake Publishing, →ISBN:
6. (qualifier:African-American Vernacular, slang, transitive) To give (someone) (something); to allow (someone) to take (something); to grant (someone) a share or portion of (something).
   • If you help, I'll break you off a piece of the proceeds.

Forms

Translations (63)

pl ułamać ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · cs zastavit se ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · ru отломи́ться ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · pl ułamywać ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · cs ukončit ((transitive) to discontinue abruptly) · pl przerywać nagle ((transitive) to discontinue abruptly) · gl esgallar ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · uk відломи́тися ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · fi keskeyttää ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · eo halti ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · haw kōhi ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · pt separar ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · pl skończyć nagle ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · la abrumpō ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · uk відла́муватися ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · fi katkaista ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · sv avbryta ((transitive) to discontinue abruptly) · uk відко́люватися ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · ru отломи́ть ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · sv brytas ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · fi keskeytyä ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · uk відлама́тися ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · ru порва́ть ((transitive) to discontinue abruptly) · ru отлома́ть ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · sv gå av ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · ru отла́мываться ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · fi katketa ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · pt cortar ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · fr interrompre ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · ru обрыва́ться ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · cs ulomit ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · pl ułamać się ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · fi katkaista ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · es interrumpir ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · ru отла́мывать ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · fi murtaa ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · de auflösen ((transitive) to discontinue abruptly) · pl oderwać ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · uk відколо́тися ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · de abbrechen ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · ru порыва́ть ((transitive) to discontinue abruptly) · cs skoncovat ((transitive) to discontinue abruptly) · de abbrechen ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · uk відло́млюватися ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · cs skončit ((transitive) to discontinue abruptly) · gl esgazar ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · ru оборва́ться ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · ru отка́лываться ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · pl oderwać się ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · pl przerwać nagle ((transitive) to discontinue abruptly) · sv bryta av ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · pl kończyć nagle ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · cs zarazit se ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · pt interromper ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · pl odrywać się ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · pl ułamywać się ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · fi katketa ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · ru отколо́ться ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · es terminar ((transitive) to discontinue abruptly) · cs přestat ((intransitive) to end abruptly) · gl esguizar ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping) · fi murtua ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping) · pl odrywać ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping)