to level with Jamie and break things off.

[sitifan]

Yet Harold knew he was capable of stronger physical and romantic feelings than Jamie aroused in him. Several women had done more to turn his head in the past. In several other ways, too, Jamie fell short of his ideals. She was less athletic and generally less ambitious than Harold assumed his wife should be. So Harold had concluded that the evidence that they should marry just wasn't strong enough. The only reasonable step was to level with Jamie and break things off. (Should I Get Married?, page 64, by M. Blaine Smith)
What does the expression "break things off" mean?

 

[Tarheel]

End the relationship.

 

[emsr2d2]

Since you put "level with Jamie" in bold too, I assume you want to know the meaning of that. It means "to tell Jamie the truth".

Level with someone

 

[sitifan]

Since you put "level with Jamie" in bold too, I assume you want to know the meaning of that. It means "to tell Jamie the truth".

Level with someone

In the quoted sentence below, I think "to break things off" means "to end the relationship" rather than "to tell someone the truth."
Relationships aren't always black and white. Sometimes it's necessary to break things off with someone with whom you're not officially an item.
https://www.insider.com/how-to-break-up-with-someone-youre-not-dating-2019-1

 

[emsr2d2]

I wasn't talking about "break things off". Tarheel already told you what that means. I was talking solely about "level with Jamie". I thought that was clear.

 

[Tarheel]

Well, I want to know how you break up with somebody you're not dating.

 

[emsr2d2]

Well, I want to know how you break up with somebody you're not dating.

Who said they're not dating? The piece suggests that Harold and Jamie are in a relationship but Harold has decided that marriage is not right for them as a couple. Consequently, he is going to be honest with Jamie and end the relationship.

 

[Barque]

I want to know how you break up with somebody you're not dating.

You don't. You break up with romantic partners like your boyfriend or girlfriend or spouse.

If you meant it ironically, that "break up" isn't appropriate here because they aren't in a relationship, they were, as #7 says.

You can break off a friendship. That wouldn't be referred to as "breaking up".

 

[Tarheel]

Relationships aren't always black and white. Sometimes it's necessary to break things off with someone with whom you're not officially an item.
https://www.insider.com/how-to-break-up-with-someone-youre-not-dating-2019-1

That's what I was talking about.

 

[Barque]

Sorry, Tarheel, please ignore my last post. I misread and thought it was Sitifan who posted "Well, I want to know how you break up with somebody you're not dating." I got what you meant and agree.

 

[Tarheel]

That's OK.