split off phrasal verb (see also split)

1. (also split away) if one part of something splits off from the rest, it becomes completely separate from it
split off from
A huge lump of rock had split off from the cliff face.

2. (also split away) if a small group of people split off from a larger group, they become separate from it
split off from
The group split away from the Green Party and formed the Environmental Alliance.

3. split something ↔ off to separate one part of something and make it completely separate from the rest
split something ↔ off from
This part of the business has now been split off from the main company.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲