[break.away] n (1881) 1 a: one that breaks away b: a departure from or rejection of (as a group or tradition)
2. a: a play (as in hockey) in which an offensive player breaks free of the defenders and rushes toward the goal b: a sudden acceleration by one or more bicyclists pulling away from the pack in a race
3: an object made to shatter or collapse under pressure or impact
[2]breakaway adj (1927) 1: favoring independence from an affiliation: seceding "a ~ faction formed a new party"
2: made to break, shatter, or bend easily "~ road signs for highway safety"