break off

interrompre, rompre

Arrêter brusquement une activité ou mettre fin à une relation ou à un accord.

En anglais simple : To suddenly stop an activity or end a relationship or agreement.

• They broke off the talks.
• She broke off her engagement last month.
• Why did you break off contact with your cousin?

Comment l'utiliser : break off something with someone (They broke off negotiations with the supplier.); break something off (She decided to break it off.)

Synonymes : end, terminate, discontinue

Contraires : continue, resume

Expressions courantes : break off talks, break off an engagement, break off contact

casser, détacher

Séparer un morceau d’un objet en le pliant ou en le frappant jusqu’à le casser.

En anglais simple : To separate a piece from something by bending or hitting it until it breaks.

• Break off some chocolate.
• She broke a twig off the branch.
• Can you break off a smaller piece for me?

Comment l'utiliser : break something off something (She broke a small branch off the tree.); break off something (He broke off a piece of bread.)

Synonymes : snap off

Expressions courantes : break off a piece, break off a branch, break something off

se détacher, se casser

Se séparer du reste d’un objet en se cassant.

En anglais simple : If a piece does this, it separates from something because it breaks.

• The handle broke off.
• A branch broke off during the storm.
• Did that piece break off from the roof?

Comment l'utiliser : break off from something (A large piece of ice broke off from the glacier.)

Synonymes : snap off

Expressions courantes : break off suddenly, break off completely

s’interrompre, cesser

S’arrêter brusquement, en parlant d’une activité, parfois pour un court moment seulement.

En anglais simple : If an activity does this, it stops suddenly, perhaps only for a short time.

• The conversation broke off suddenly.
• She broke off when the door opened.
• Their discussion broke off for lunch and continued later.

Comment l'utiliser : break off in the middle of something (He broke off in the middle of his explanation.)

Synonymes : stop, cease

Contraires : continue, resume

Expressions courantes : break off suddenly, break off mid-sentence

effectuer la casse

Effectuer le premier coup d’une partie de snooker, de pool ou de billard.

En anglais simple : To take the first shot in a game of snooker, pool, or billiards.

• You can break off first.
• She broke off at the start of the final frame.
• Who will break off in the next game of pool?

Synonymes : break

Expressions courantes : break off first, break off in snooker

donner une part, partager

Donner à quelqu’un une partie de ce qu’on possède, surtout de l’argent gagné.

En anglais simple : To give someone some of what you have, especially money you have earned.

• Break me off a little cash.
• She broke her brother off a share of the winnings.
• Will you break me off something if the deal succeeds?

Comment l'utiliser : break someone off something (He promised to break me off a share of the profit.)

Synonymes : give, share

Expressions courantes : break someone off something, break off a share