break off

break off
{v.} 1. To stop suddenly. * /The speaker was interrupted so often that he broke off and sat down./ * /When Bob came in, Jean broke off her talk with Linda and talked to Bob./ 2. {informal} To end a friendship or love. * /I hear that Tom and Alice have broken off./ * /She broke off with her best friend./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • break off — [v1] snap off something detach, disassemble, divide, part, pull off, separate, sever, splinter, take apart; concept 211 Ant. combine, join, mend break off [v2] end activity cease, desist, discontinue, end, finish, halt, pause, stop, suspend,… …   New thesaurus

  • break off — (something) to end something suddenly. Our third meeting broke off after an hour, but our fourth lasted three days. I just broke off with a guy I ve been going out with for eight months …   New idioms dictionary

  • break off — index alienate (estrange), close (terminate), conclude (complete), detach, discontinue (abando …   Law dictionary

  • break off — ► break off abruptly end or discontinue. Main Entry: ↑break …   English terms dictionary

  • break|off — «BRAYK F, OF», noun. 1. stoppage: »the breakoff of negotiations. 2. detachment or secession; separation: »the breakoff of Singapore from Malaysia …   Useful english dictionary

  • break off — verb 1. interrupt before its natural or planned end (Freq. 2) We had to cut short our vacation • Syn: ↑cut short, ↑break short • Hypernyms: ↑interrupt, ↑break …   Useful english dictionary

  • break off — phrasal verb Word forms break off : present tense I/you/we/they break off he/she/it breaks off present participle breaking off past tense broke off past participle broken off 1) [intransitive/transitive] to stop doing something, especially… …   English dictionary

  • break off — 1) PHR V ERG If part of something breaks off or if you break it off, it comes off or is removed by force. [V P] The two wings of the aircraft broke off on impact... [V P n (not pron)] Grace broke off a large piece of the clay... [V n P …   English dictionary

  • break off — verb Date: 14th century intransitive verb 1. to stop abruptly < break off in the middle of a sentence > 2. to become detached < branches that broke off in the storm > 3. to end a relationship …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • break off — UK US break (sth) off Phrasal Verb with break({{}}/breɪk/ verb [T] (broke, broken) ► to stop, or to make something stop: »Talks between the two companies broke off over disagreements about the merger. »The company has decided to break off… …   Financial and business terms

  • break off — v. (D; intr.) to break off from (they broke off from the main wing of the party) * * * [ breɪk ɒf] (D; intr.) to break off from (they broke off from the main wing of the party) …   Combinatory dictionary

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