From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbreak somebody of something phrasal verbSTOP DOING somethingto make someone stop having a bad habit Try to break yourself of the habit of eating between meals. → break→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
break of • In December Philippe Gimbert broke the jaw of a Rodez player, Armand Proietti.• Then Chris Holmes broke a period of Basingstoke pressure with a long break from the 22.• Whether for dress or athletics, the fit of the shoe can also make or break a pair of feet.• On that Friday afternoon Mr. Bell denied having broken the conditions of his bail not to approach Bridget Coffey.• His two interceptions Sunday broke the back of the Pittsburgh Steelers as Dallas won the duel in the desert, 27-17.• Why couldn't you break the power of the Treasury and get your beloved Department of Economic Affairs to take off?• Problem Too many phone calls breaking my train of thought.break ... of ... habit• I couldn't break free of the habit even after I reached adulthood. 