BREAKING OFF

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does breaking off mean? 

• BREAKING OFF (noun)
  The noun BREAKING OFF has 1 sense:

1. an instance of sudden interruption

  Familiarity information: BREAKING OFF used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BREAKING OFF (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An instance of sudden interruption

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

abruption; breaking off

Hypernyms ("breaking off" is a kind of...):

break; disruption; gap; interruption (an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity)

 Context examples 

Issue associated with small pieces of the device breaking off unexpectedly.

(Medical Device Material Fragmentation, Food and Drug Administration)

A tiny piece of cell that is made by breaking off of a large cell in the bone marrow.

(Platelet, NCI Dictionary)

“Only one thing I claim—I claim Trelawney. I'll wring his calf's head off his body with these hands, Dick!” he added, breaking off.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Lady Catherine, it appeared, had actually taken the trouble of this journey from Rosings, for the sole purpose of breaking off her supposed engagement with Mr. Darcy.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

“Ask—HEEP—Mr. Traddles, who lived in his house after him,” said Mr. Micawber, breaking off from the letter; “will you?”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Interchanges of genetic material among different chromosomes following the breaking off of pieces of chromosomes such that the total chromosome composition may still contain all of the genetic material.Balanced Chromosomal Rearrangement.

(Balanced Chromosomal Translocation, NCI Thesaurus)

Edith and Hans walked on either side of him and supported him, the while he cracked jokes and tried to keep them cheerful, breaking off, once, long enough to arrange the forwarding of his share of the gold to his mother in Ireland.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

But here, said Traddles, breaking off in his confidence, and speaking aloud, ARE the girls!

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)