break (sth) off
— phrasal verb with break uk/breɪk/us/breɪk/verb broke, broken
(SEPARATE)
to separate a part from a larger piece, or to become separate:
He broke off a piece of chocolate.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Tearing and breaking into pieces
- apart
- asunder
- bobble
- breakage
- busted
- catch
- fall apart
- flake
- fragmented
- fray
- frayed
- in ribbons idiom
- knacker
- pull
- pull sth apart
- rent
- rip
- shear
- split
- tear sth up
See more results »
(RELATIONSHIP)
B2 to end a relationship:
They've broken off their engagement.
The governments have broken off diplomatic relations.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Causing something to end
- abandon
- all good things (must) come to an end idiom
- and have done with it idiom
- be over the hump idiom
- bitter
- draw
- lay
- lay sth to rest idiom
- lay the ghost of sth (to rest) idiom
- leave it at that idiom
- leave off (sth/doing sth)
- let sb be idiom
- lift
- raise
- stone-dead
- the curtain falls on sth idiom
- to the bitter end idiom
- top sth off
- walk
- walk away
See more results »
(STOP SPEAKING)
B2 to suddenly stop speaking or doing something:
She broke off in the middle of a sentence.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Causing something to end
- abandon
- all good things (must) come to an end idiom
- and have done with it idiom
- be over the hump idiom
- bitter
- draw
- lay
- lay sth to rest idiom
- lay the ghost of sth (to rest) idiom
- leave it at that idiom
- leave off (sth/doing sth)
- let sb be idiom
- lift
- raise
- stone-dead
- the curtain falls on sth idiom
- to the bitter end idiom
- top sth off
- walk
- walk away
See more results »