Definition of break off in English:

phrasal verb

• 1Become severed.

  ‘the fuselage had broken off just behind the pilot's seat’

  More example sentences

  • ‘It began life as a separate ice tongue roughly the size of Belgium before breaking off and floating into the Southern Ocean.’
  • ‘Every time I grabbed anything on the side of the rock to try to stop my descent, it broke off and came with me.’
  • ‘Two of the chairs legs broke off in a loud snap from the force of the blow.’
  • ‘She reaches for a strand of hair and twists it tightly around her finger pulling so tight that I can see the tiny hairs snapping and breaking off.’
  • ‘Had to mow the law, though - usually a simple joy, but a pain since the lawn mower handle broke off.’
  • ‘They suspect that part of the lava dome broke off, sending melted ice from a glacier onto hot rocks below.’
  • ‘When pieces of the ice broke off, they pushed over the pieces next to them, like books falling on a shelf.’
  • ‘They have been left out of pocket after a vital part broke off their electric fire.’
  • ‘The rubber blade eventually broke off and we were stuck in the rain with only one good blade.’
  • ‘He developed a massive blood clot that formed in his leg veins, broke off and travelled to his lungs.’

  Synonyms

  snap off, come off, become detached, become separated, become severed

  View synonyms

  1. 1.1Abruptly stop talking.
     ‘she broke off, stifling a sob’
     More example sentences

     • ‘Faith and Grace who had been telling him something, abruptly broke off, when Father got up and rushed over to me.’
     • ‘But he broke off when he remembered that he was talking to the enemy, not an ally.’
     • ‘As he was saying this, his son John appeared and he broke off.’