break off
[verb]
Synonyms:
- detach, divide, part, pull off, separate, sever, snap off, splinter
- stop, cease, desist, discontinue, end, finish, halt, pull the plug on, suspend, terminate

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English Thesaurus: pause, hesitate, have/take a break, adjourn, take five, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

break off phrasal verb (see also break)

1. to suddenly stop talking:
She started to speak, then broke off while a waitress served us coffee.
He broke off in mid-sentence to shake hands with the new arrivals.
break something ↔ off
I broke off the conversation and answered the phone.

2. break something ↔ off to end a relationship:
She broke off their engagement only a few weeks before they were due to be married.
The US has broken off diplomatic relations with the regime.

3. if something breaks off, or if you break it off, it comes loose and is no longer attached to something else:
One of the car’s wing mirrors had broken off.
break something ↔ off
He broke off a piece of bread.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

pause to stop speaking or stop doing something for a very short time before starting again. Pause is used especially in written descriptions. In everyday spoken English, people usually just say stop:
She paused at the bottom of the stairs and looked up at the clock.
He paused, waiting for Larry to say something.
hesitate to stop for a moment and wait before doing something, because you feel unsure or nervous about it:
She hesitated for a moment before replying.
have/take a break to stop working for a short time in order to rest, eat etc:
We’re all getting tired. Let’s take a break for ten minutes.
adjourn formal if a meeting or court adjourns or is adjourned, it stops for a short time:
If there are no more questions, the committee will adjourn until tomorrow morning.
The trial was adjourned because one of the defendants was ill.
take five especially American English informal to stop for a short time in order to rest:
Let’s take five and get some coffee.
break off to suddenly stop speaking, especially because you see, hear, or think of something:
He broke off his conversation when he saw Mary running towards him.
She broke off and looked embarrassed, then said, ‘I’ll explain later.’
a long pause
There was a long pause before anyone spoke.
a brief/short/slight pause
"Well, that was a surprise," he said after a brief pause.
a momentary pause (=very short)
There was a momentary pause during which Mr Hammond glanced at his wife.
an awkward pause
After an awkward pause, Ray began to answer my question.
a dramatic pause (=one that has a dramatic effect)
In the dramatic pause before she replied, you could feel the tension in the room.
a pregnant pause (=one that is full of meaning or emotion)
‘OK. Let’s move on,’ said the President after a pregnant pause.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

break off
break off (something)
to end something suddenly.
Our third meeting broke off after an hour, but our fourth lasted three days.

I just broke off with a guy I've been going out with for eight months.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

break off something
break off (something)
to end something suddenly.
Our third meeting broke off after an hour, but our fourth lasted three days.

I just broke off with a guy I've been going out with for eight months.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

break off
to stop or end suddenly
The government decided to break off talks about extending the trade agreement.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

break off
v.
1. To stop suddenly.
The speaker was interrupted so often that he broke off and sat down.
When Bob came in, Jean broke off her talk with Linda and talked to Bob.
2. informal To end a friendship or love.
I hear that Tom and Alice have broken off.
She broke off with her best friend.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲