Etymology From Middle English breke of (“break off, terminate”), a dissimilated form of earlier Middle English ofbreken. By surface analysis, break + off.
1
To remove a piece from a whole by breaking or snapping.
She unwrapped the slab of chocolate and broke off a piece.
The bees came and found no one but the Woodman to sting, so they flew at him and broke off all their stings against the tin, without hurting the Woodman at all.1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC:
2
To become detached by breaking or snapping.
A chunk of rock broke off from the cliff face.
3
To discontinue abruptly.
Both families want the lovers to break off any relationship they may have.
When the yacht had passed the man resumed the conversation that her appearance had broken off.1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 101:
1 more example
In fact I never said it; she eventually realised I was someone else, and broke off the conversation abruptly.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 16 Jun 2023:
4
To end abruptly, either temporarily or permanently.
Our school doesn't break off until July.
Then the conversation broke off, and there was little more talking, only a noise of men going backwards and forwards, and of putting down of kegs and the hollow gurgle of good liquor being poured from breakers into the casks.[1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC:
1 more example
“[…]Because desire just cheats you. It's like a sunbeam skipping here and there about a room. It stops and gilds some inconsequential object, and we poor fools try to grasp it—but when we do the sunbeam moves on to something else, and you've got the inconsequential part, but the glitter that made you want it is gone—” He broke off uneasily.1922, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, “A Matter of Civilization”, in The Beautiful and Damned, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, book 3, page 341:
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.'2017, John Virgo, Say Goodnight, JV - My Autobiography, John Blake Publishing, →ISBN:
6
Slang To give (someone) (something); to allow (someone) to take (something); to grant (someone) a share or portion of (something).
African-American Vernacular
If you help, I'll break you off a piece of the proceeds.
break-off
noun
Etymology Deverbal from break off.
1
That which breaks off, or is broken off
Stable glacier advance and retreat Advancing glaciers may inundate land, override installations (e.g., hydropower installations), dam rivers and form lakes, cause ice break-offs when the glacier advances over a cliff, etc.2011, Vijay P. Singh, Pratap Singh, Umesh K. Haritashya, Encyclopedia of Snow, Ice and Glaciers, page 767:
2
A break, discontinuance, or interruption
All break-offs occur due to the deadline being reached or an occasional agent crash on a big domain.2016, Tim Baarslag, Exploring the Strategy Space of Negotiating Agents: