"break off" meaning in English

See break off in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

Forms: breaks off [present, singular, third-person], breaking off [participle, present], broke off [past], broken off [participle, past]
Etymology: From Middle English breke of (“break off, terminate”), a dissimilated form of earlier Middle English ofbreken, equivalent to break + off. Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|breke of|t=break off, terminate}} Middle English breke of (“break off, terminate”), {{der|en|enm|ofbreken}} Middle English ofbreken, {{af|en|break|off}} break + off Head templates: {{en-verb|break<,,broke,broken> off}} break off (third-person singular simple present breaks off, present participle breaking off, simple past broke off, past participle broken off)
  1. (transitive) To remove a piece from a whole by breaking or snapping. Tags: transitive Translations ((transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping): ulomit [perfective] (Czech), katkaista [transitive] (Finnish), murtaa (Finnish), esgallar (Galician), esguizar (Galician), esgazar (Galician), abbrechen (German), abrumpō (Latin), отла́мывать (otlámyvatʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), отломи́ть (otlomítʹ) [perfective] (Russian), отлома́ть (otlomátʹ) [perfective] (Russian), bryta av (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-break_off-en-verb-yxO4qloN Disambiguation of '(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping': 62 28 4 0 6
  2. (intransitive) To become detached by breaking or snapping. Tags: intransitive Translations ((intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping): katketa (Finnish), murtua (Finnish), отка́лываться (otkályvatʹsja) [imperfective] (Russian), отколо́ться (otkolótʹsja) [perfective] (Russian), отла́мываться (otlámyvatʹsja) [imperfective] (Russian), отломи́ться (otlomítʹsja) [perfective] (Russian), gå av (Swedish), відко́люватися (vidkóljuvatysja) [imperfective] (Ukrainian), відколо́тися (vidkolótysja) [perfective] (Ukrainian), відла́муватися (vidlámuvatysja) [imperfective] (Ukrainian), відло́млюватися (vidlómljuvatysja) [imperfective] (Ukrainian), відлама́тися (vidlamátysja) [perfective] (Ukrainian), відломи́тися (vidlomýtysja) [perfective] (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-break_off-en-verb-pHJHXlEL Categories (other): English phrasal verbs with particle (off) Disambiguation of English phrasal verbs with particle (off): 10 11 31 27 21 Disambiguation of '(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping': 20 74 1 2 3
  3. (transitive) To discontinue abruptly. Tags: transitive Translations ((transitive) to discontinue abruptly): ukončit [perfective] (Czech), skončit [perfective] (Czech), skoncovat [perfective] (Czech), auflösen (German), порыва́ть (poryvátʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), порва́ть (porvátʹ) [perfective] (Russian), terminar (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-break_off-en-verb-qvWoX6ko Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English phrasal verbs with particle (off) Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 8 4 36 31 21 Disambiguation of English phrasal verbs with particle (off): 10 11 31 27 21 Disambiguation of '(transitive) to discontinue abruptly': 4 2 70 20 4
  4. (intransitive) To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently. Tags: intransitive Translations ((intransitive) to end abruptly): přestat [perfective] (Czech), zastavit se [perfective] (Czech), zarazit se [perfective] (Czech), keskeyttää [transitive] (Finnish), katkaista (Finnish), keskeytyä [intransitive] (Finnish), katketa (Finnish), interrompre (French), abbrechen (German), обрыва́ться (obryvátʹsja) [imperfective] (Russian), оборва́ться (oborvátʹsja) [perfective] (Russian), interrumpir (Spanish), bryta (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-break_off-en-verb-kEMVK5t0 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English phrasal verbs with particle (off) Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 8 4 36 31 21 Disambiguation of English phrasal verbs with particle (off): 10 11 31 27 21 Disambiguation of '(intransitive) to end abruptly': 3 6 33 54 4
  5. (transitive, intransitive, billiards, snooker) To play the first shot in a frame of snooker, billiards or pool. Tags: intransitive, transitive Categories (topical): Billiards, Snooker
    Sense id: en-break_off-en-verb-G1pNimon Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English phrasal verbs with particle (off) Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 8 4 36 31 21 Disambiguation of English phrasal verbs with particle (off): 10 11 31 27 21 Topics: ball-games, billiards, games, hobbies, lifestyle, snooker, sports

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for break off meaning in English (12.5kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "breke of",
        "t": "break off, terminate"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English breke of (“break off, terminate”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "ofbreken"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English ofbreken",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "break",
        "3": "off"
      },
      "expansion": "break + off",
      "name": "af"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English breke of (“break off, terminate”), a dissimilated form of earlier Middle English ofbreken, equivalent to break + off.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "breaks off",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "breaking off",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "broke off",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "broken off",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "break<,,broke,broken> off"
      },
      "expansion": "break off (third-person singular simple present breaks off, present participle breaking off, simple past broke off, past participle broken off)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She unwrapped the slab of chocolate and broke off a piece.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To remove a piece from a whole by breaking or snapping."
      ],
      "id": "en-break_off-en-verb-yxO4qloN",
      "links": [
        [
          "remove",
          "remove"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To remove a piece from a whole by breaking or snapping."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "62 28 4 0 6",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "ulomit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 28 4 0 6",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "transitive"
          ],
          "word": "katkaista"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 28 4 0 6",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
          "word": "murtaa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 28 4 0 6",
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
          "word": "esgallar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 28 4 0 6",
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
          "word": "esguizar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 28 4 0 6",
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
          "word": "esgazar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 28 4 0 6",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
          "word": "abbrechen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 28 4 0 6",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
          "word": "abrumpō"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 28 4 0 6",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "otlámyvatʹ",
          "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "отла́мывать"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 28 4 0 6",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "otlomítʹ",
          "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "отломи́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 28 4 0 6",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "otlomátʹ",
          "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "отлома́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "62 28 4 0 6",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
          "word": "bryta av"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "10 11 31 27 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English phrasal verbs with particle (off)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "A chunk of rock broke off from the cliff face.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To become detached by breaking or snapping."
      ],
      "id": "en-break_off-en-verb-pHJHXlEL",
      "links": [
        [
          "detached",
          "detach"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(intransitive) To become detached by breaking or snapping."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "intransitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "20 74 1 2 3",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
          "word": "katketa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 74 1 2 3",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
          "word": "murtua"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 74 1 2 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "otkályvatʹsja",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "отка́лываться"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 74 1 2 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "otkolótʹsja",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "отколо́ться"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 74 1 2 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "otlámyvatʹsja",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "отла́мываться"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 74 1 2 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "otlomítʹsja",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "отломи́ться"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 74 1 2 3",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
          "word": "gå av"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 74 1 2 3",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "vidkóljuvatysja",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "відко́люватися"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 74 1 2 3",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "vidkolótysja",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "відколо́тися"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 74 1 2 3",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "vidlámuvatysja",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "відла́муватися"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 74 1 2 3",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "vidlómljuvatysja",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "відло́млюватися"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 74 1 2 3",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "vidlamátysja",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "відлама́тися"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "20 74 1 2 3",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "vidlomýtysja",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "відломи́тися"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "8 4 36 31 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 11 31 27 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English phrasal verbs with particle (off)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Both families want the lovers to break off any relationship they may have.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 February 25, Tim Dowling, “Tim Dowling: I’m revisiting my worst ever moment on stage – a Christmas panto”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 2023-06-16",
          "text": "In fact I never said it; she eventually realised I was someone else, and broke off the conversation abruptly.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To discontinue abruptly."
      ],
      "id": "en-break_off-en-verb-qvWoX6ko",
      "links": [
        [
          "discontinue",
          "discontinue"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To discontinue abruptly."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "4 2 70 20 4",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "(transitive) to discontinue abruptly",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "ukončit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 2 70 20 4",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "(transitive) to discontinue abruptly",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "skončit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 2 70 20 4",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "(transitive) to discontinue abruptly",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "skoncovat"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 2 70 20 4",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "(transitive) to discontinue abruptly",
          "word": "auflösen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 2 70 20 4",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "poryvátʹ",
          "sense": "(transitive) to discontinue abruptly",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "порыва́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 2 70 20 4",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "porvátʹ",
          "sense": "(transitive) to discontinue abruptly",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "порва́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 2 70 20 4",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "(transitive) to discontinue abruptly",
          "word": "terminar"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "8 4 36 31 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 11 31 27 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English phrasal verbs with particle (off)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently."
      ],
      "id": "en-break_off-en-verb-kEMVK5t0",
      "links": [
        [
          "end",
          "end"
        ],
        [
          "abruptly",
          "abruptly"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(intransitive) To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "intransitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "3 6 33 54 4",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "přestat"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 6 33 54 4",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "zastavit se"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 6 33 54 4",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "zarazit se"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 6 33 54 4",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
          "tags": [
            "transitive"
          ],
          "word": "keskeyttää"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 6 33 54 4",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
          "word": "katkaista"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 6 33 54 4",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
          "tags": [
            "intransitive"
          ],
          "word": "keskeytyä"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 6 33 54 4",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
          "word": "katketa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 6 33 54 4",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
          "word": "interrompre"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 6 33 54 4",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
          "word": "abbrechen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 6 33 54 4",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "obryvátʹsja",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "обрыва́ться"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 6 33 54 4",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "oborvátʹsja",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "оборва́ться"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 6 33 54 4",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
          "word": "interrumpir"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 6 33 54 4",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
          "word": "bryta"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Billiards",
          "orig": "en:Billiards",
          "parents": [
            "Games",
            "Recreation",
            "Human activity",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Snooker",
          "orig": "en:Snooker",
          "parents": [
            "Games",
            "Recreation",
            "Human activity",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "8 4 36 31 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 11 31 27 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English phrasal verbs with particle (off)",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2017, John Virgo, Say Goodnight, JV - My Autobiography, John Blake Publishing",
          "text": "Ted's opening line, when Steve broke off for the deciding frame, was, 'Last night we put our clocks back one hour. These two stars turned theirs back to April.'",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To play the first shot in a frame of snooker, billiards or pool."
      ],
      "id": "en-break_off-en-verb-G1pNimon",
      "links": [
        [
          "transitive",
          "transitive"
        ],
        [
          "intransitive",
          "intransitive"
        ],
        [
          "billiards",
          "billiards"
        ],
        [
          "snooker",
          "snooker#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "frame",
          "frame"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive, intransitive, billiards, snooker) To play the first shot in a frame of snooker, billiards or pool."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "intransitive",
        "transitive"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "ball-games",
        "billiards",
        "games",
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "snooker",
        "sports"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "break off"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English compound terms",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English phrasal verbs",
    "English phrasal verbs with particle (off)",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English verbs"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "breke of",
        "t": "break off, terminate"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English breke of (“break off, terminate”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "ofbreken"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English ofbreken",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "break",
        "3": "off"
      },
      "expansion": "break + off",
      "name": "af"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English breke of (“break off, terminate”), a dissimilated form of earlier Middle English ofbreken, equivalent to break + off.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "breaks off",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "breaking off",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "broke off",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "broken off",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "break<,,broke,broken> off"
      },
      "expansion": "break off (third-person singular simple present breaks off, present participle breaking off, simple past broke off, past participle broken off)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She unwrapped the slab of chocolate and broke off a piece.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To remove a piece from a whole by breaking or snapping."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "remove",
          "remove"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To remove a piece from a whole by breaking or snapping."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English intransitive verbs",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "A chunk of rock broke off from the cliff face.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To become detached by breaking or snapping."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "detached",
          "detach"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(intransitive) To become detached by breaking or snapping."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "intransitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Both families want the lovers to break off any relationship they may have.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 February 25, Tim Dowling, “Tim Dowling: I’m revisiting my worst ever moment on stage – a Christmas panto”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 2023-06-16",
          "text": "In fact I never said it; she eventually realised I was someone else, and broke off the conversation abruptly.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To discontinue abruptly."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "discontinue",
          "discontinue"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To discontinue abruptly."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English intransitive verbs"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "end",
          "end"
        ],
        [
          "abruptly",
          "abruptly"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(intransitive) To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "intransitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English intransitive verbs",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English transitive verbs",
        "en:Billiards",
        "en:Snooker"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2017, John Virgo, Say Goodnight, JV - My Autobiography, John Blake Publishing",
          "text": "Ted's opening line, when Steve broke off for the deciding frame, was, 'Last night we put our clocks back one hour. These two stars turned theirs back to April.'",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To play the first shot in a frame of snooker, billiards or pool."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "transitive",
          "transitive"
        ],
        [
          "intransitive",
          "intransitive"
        ],
        [
          "billiards",
          "billiards"
        ],
        [
          "snooker",
          "snooker#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "frame",
          "frame"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive, intransitive, billiards, snooker) To play the first shot in a frame of snooker, billiards or pool."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "intransitive",
        "transitive"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "ball-games",
        "billiards",
        "games",
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "snooker",
        "sports"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "ulomit"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "word": "katkaista"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
      "word": "murtaa"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
      "word": "esgallar"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
      "word": "esguizar"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
      "word": "esgazar"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
      "word": "abbrechen"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
      "word": "abrumpō"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "otlámyvatʹ",
      "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "отла́мывать"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "otlomítʹ",
      "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "отломи́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "otlomátʹ",
      "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "отлома́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "(transitive) to remove a piece by breaking or snapping",
      "word": "bryta av"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
      "word": "katketa"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
      "word": "murtua"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "otkályvatʹsja",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "отка́лываться"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "otkolótʹsja",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "отколо́ться"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "otlámyvatʹsja",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "отла́мываться"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "otlomítʹsja",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "отломи́ться"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
      "word": "gå av"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "vidkóljuvatysja",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "відко́люватися"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "vidkolótysja",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "відколо́тися"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "vidlámuvatysja",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "відла́муватися"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "vidlómljuvatysja",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "відло́млюватися"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "vidlamátysja",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "відлама́тися"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "vidlomýtysja",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to become detached by breaking or snapping",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "відломи́тися"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "(transitive) to discontinue abruptly",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "ukončit"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "(transitive) to discontinue abruptly",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "skončit"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "(transitive) to discontinue abruptly",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "skoncovat"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "(transitive) to discontinue abruptly",
      "word": "auflösen"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "poryvátʹ",
      "sense": "(transitive) to discontinue abruptly",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "порыва́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "porvátʹ",
      "sense": "(transitive) to discontinue abruptly",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "порва́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "(transitive) to discontinue abruptly",
      "word": "terminar"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "přestat"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "zastavit se"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "zarazit se"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "word": "keskeyttää"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
      "word": "katkaista"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
      "tags": [
        "intransitive"
      ],
      "word": "keskeytyä"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
      "word": "katketa"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
      "word": "interrompre"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
      "word": "abbrechen"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "obryvátʹsja",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "обрыва́ться"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "oborvátʹsja",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "оборва́ться"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
      "word": "interrumpir"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "(intransitive) to end abruptly",
      "word": "bryta"
    }
  ],
  "word": "break off"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (93a6c53 and 21a9316). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.