Is there an english adjective meaning "obtained by cutting or by breaking it off something"?

Question

I'm trying to translate a native word.

For example:

• I got this piece of wood by breaking it off from a branch.
• I got this twine from that ball of string.

So, what I'm looking for is a 'to be' verb or adjective. But in my language to be verbs and adjectives are sometimes the same.

How do I say that the twine was obtained by cutting it from the ball of string? Or the piece of wood was broken off from a branch?

I'm looking for an adjective similar to stolen in stolen goods. Or like plucked but instead it was broken off or cut. I understand it doesn't always translate but what is the closest word I could use.

Answer 1

This X was removed from a Y.

This X was taken from a Y.

This X was cut from a Y.

But "This X is a ________ thing".

I don't think there's a general all-purpose word that means "something cut from something else". stolen refers to a much more specific context. So does used (i.e. pre-owned) car and frozen foods and baked goods.

Cut twine.

Sawn board.

Chopped branch.

Snapped twig.

Answer 2

Why not using cut off which means to remove by cutting? The past participle has the same form.

This is a piece of wood cut off from the branch of the tree.

Answer 3

The preposition off expresses this:

I got this piece of wood by breaking it off from a branch.

I got this piece of wood off a branch.

I got this twine from that ball of string.

I got this twine off that ball of string.

As far as an adjective, "broken off", "cut off", "pulled off" will work. All of these have a very informal flavor to them, in formal, business, or even written speech it would be better to use one of the longer expressions in your example.

In informal speech you might hear "broke off" which borders on slang.

Here is a broken off piece of wood.

Here is a cut off piece of wood.

Take the broke off piece of stale bread and put it in the pan.

Here is a pulled off twine.