clean break

English

Pronunciation

Audio (AU) (file)
("make a clean break")

Noun

clean break (plural clean breaks)

(idiomatic) The complete termination of a relationship, or exit from a situation.
He decided to make a clean break with his employer.

I'm ready for a clean break with my ex-girlfriend.
- 1952, Nikos Kazantzakis, chapter 1, in Carl Wildman, transl., Zorba the Greek, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, translation of Βίος και πολιτεία του Αλέξη Ζορμπά [Víos kai politeía tou Aléxi Zormpá], →ISBN, pages 4–5:
  How bitter it is to be slowly separated from great friends! Far better make a clean break and remain in solitude—the natural climate for man.

Translations

Note: These translations are for the verb phrase "make a clean break".

initiate a complete termination of a relationship

Chinese:
Mandarin: 一刀兩斷／一刀两断 (zh) (yīdāoliǎngduàn), 脫離／脱离 (zh) (tuōlí), 斷交／断交 (zh) (duànjiāo)
Finnish: panna välit poikki
Russian: please add this translation if you can
Spanish: cortar por lo sano (es)

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