Pronunciation: /breɪk ɒf/

Definitions of break off

noun a sudden or abrupt cessation

Example Sentences

A1 I accidentally caused a break off in the cookie jar.

A2 The break off of the branch made a loud noise.

B1 The break off of negotiations led to a stalemate.

B2 The break off of the relationship was sudden and unexpected.

C1 The break off of the treaty was met with international backlash.

C2 The break off of diplomatic ties between the two countries was inevitable.

verb to separate or discontinue abruptly or forcefully

Example Sentences

A1 I accidentally broke off a piece of my pencil while writing.

A2 The negotiations between the two countries broke off suddenly.

B1 The company decided to break off the partnership due to disagreements.

B2 The actor had to break off filming due to a family emergency.

C1 The government decided to break off diplomatic relations with the neighboring country.

C2 The singer had to break off the concert midway due to technical difficulties.

Examples of break off in a Sentence

formal The negotiations between the two countries may break off if they cannot reach a compromise.

informal I had to break off my vacation early due to an emergency back home.

slang Let's break off for lunch and reconvene in an hour.

figurative Sometimes it's necessary to break off toxic relationships for your own well-being.

Grammatical Forms of break off

past tense

broke off

plural

breaks off

comparative

more break off

superlative

most break off

present tense

break off

future tense

will break off

perfect tense

have broken off

continuous tense

is breaking off

singular

breaks off

positive degree

break off

infinitive

to break off

gerund

breaking off

participle

broken off

Origin and Evolution of break off

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The phrase 'break off' originated from Old English, where 'break' meant to separate or cause to separate, and 'off' indicated a separation or disconnection.
Evolution of the word: Over time, 'break off' has retained its original meaning of separating or disconnecting, but has also come to be used in a figurative sense to refer to ending abruptly or abruptly stopping something.