break a/the spell
1. Literally, to stop the effects of a magic spell, as in a fantasy story or film. My kids love this movie—it's about a group of animals working to break a spell on their forest.
2. By extension, to stop one from being charmed by or enthralled with someone or something. I was totally smitten with my date, until his sexism started to come out—that totally broke the spell!
break the spell
1. to put an end to a magic spell. The wizard looked in his magic book to find out how to break the spell.
2. to do something that ends a desirable period of figurative enchantment. At the end of the second movement, some idiot broke the spell by applauding.