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break / break off
Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 5:15 am
by Brahman
Should it be
1) Let's break off for lunch.
or
2) Break up for lunch.
or
3) Let's break for lunch.
?
Re: Break
Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 10:02 am
by Joe
Let's break for lunch.
Re: Break
Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 4:10 pm
by Brahman
Thank you very much, Josef!
I have found some examples of "break off" in the dictionaries. Are they Standard English or regionalism?
1. Finally we would break off for coffee and to talk more informally. [pg. 35, Oxford Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs by A.P.Cowie & R. Mackin]
2. Let's break off and have a cup of tea.
2a. Let's break off work and have a cup of tea. [Longman Dictionary of Phrasal verbs by Rosemary Courtney]
Re: Break
Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 5:05 am
by jmio
"Break off" is less common and might not sound right in all situations, but both are standard.
Re: Break
Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 9:58 am
by Joe
I agree with jmio. The danger with "break off" is that it can imply the end of an activity, not a mere pause. This is indicated by the use of the word "Finally" in your example sentence #1. Sentences #2 and #2a are ambiguous and we might only know from the context whether the break was permanent or temporary.
Re: break / break off
Posted: Wed May 25, 2011 2:29 pm
by Brahman
Josef and jmio,
Thank you very much for your help.