A 'break away' is a time out spent doing something different from normal. 'We had a break away in the country on the weekend.' It usually indicates a time spent in rest or relaxation from normal activities. A breakaway means an individual or group has separated themselves from a larger group and made a run for it. 'They were herding the cattle towards the stockyard when a steer broke away from the herd and headed back towards the river'. In this case, that steer would be described as a breakaway.