- break off
- verb1. interrupt before its natural or planned end (Freq. 2)-
We had to cut short our vacation
• Syn: ↑cut short, ↑break short• Hyponyms: ↑hang up• Verb Frames:-Somebody ——s something
-Something ——s something
2. prevent completion (Freq. 2)-stop the project
-break off the negotiations
• Syn: ↑break, ↑discontinue, ↑stop• Derivationally related forms: ↑stop (for: ↑stop), ↑discontinuation (for: ↑discontinue)• Hyponyms:• Verb Frames:-Somebody ——s something
-Something ——s something
3. break off (a piece from a whole) (Freq. 1)-Her tooth chipped
• Syn: ↑chip, ↑chip off, ↑come off, ↑break away• Verb Frames:-Something ——s
-Something is ——ing PP
4. break a piece from a whole-break a branch from a tree
• Derivationally related forms: ↑breakable (for: ↑break), ↑breakage (for: ↑break), ↑breaker (for: ↑break)• Hypernyms: ↑detach• Verb Frames:-Somebody ——s something
5. break a small piece off from-chip the glass
-chip a tooth
• Hypernyms: ↑cut• Verb Frames:-Somebody ——s something
-Something ——s something
Useful english dictionary. 2012.