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broken
[ broh-kuhn ]
adjective
- reduced to fragments; fragmented.
- ruptured; torn; fractured.
- not functioning properly; out of working order.
- Meteorology. (of sky cover) being more than half, but not totally, covered by clouds. Compare scattered ( def 4 ).
- changing direction abruptly:
The fox ran in a broken line.
- fragmentary or incomplete:
a broken ton of coal weighing 1,500 pounds.
- infringed or violated:
A broken promise is a betrayal of trust.
- interrupted, disrupted, or disconnected:
After the phone call he returned to his broken sleep.
- weakened in strength, spirit, etc.:
His broken health was due to alcoholism.
- tamed, trained, or reduced to submission:
The horse was broken to the saddle.
- imperfectly spoken, as language:
She still speaks broken English.
- spoken in a halting or fragmentary manner, as under emotional strain:
He uttered a few broken words of sorrow.
- (of a relationship) split apart; not intact:
a broken marriage.
- (of a family) disunited or divided by the prolonged or permanent absence of a parent, usually due to divorce or desertion: broken families.
a child from a broken home;
broken families.
- not smooth; rough or irregular:
We left the plains and rode through broken country.
- ruined; bankrupt:
the broken fortunes of his family.
- Papermaking, Printing. a quantity of paper of less than 500 or 1000 sheets.
broken
/ ˈəʊə /
verb
- the past participle of break
adjective
- fractured, smashed, or splintered
a broken vase
- imperfect or incomplete; fragmentary
a broken set of books
- interrupted; disturbed; disconnected
broken sleep
- intermittent or discontinuous
broken sunshine
- varying in direction or intensity, as of pitch
a broken run
a broken note
- not functioning
a broken radio
- spoilt or ruined by divorce (esp in the phrases broken home , broken marriage )
- (of a trust, promise, contract, etc) violated; infringed
- overcome with grief or disappointment
a broken heart
- (of the speech of a foreigner) imperfect in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation
broken English
- Alsobroken-in made tame or disciplined by training
a broken recruit
a broken horse
- exhausted or weakened as through ill-health or misfortune
- confused or disorganized
broken ranks of soldiers
- breached or opened
broken defensive lines
- irregular or rough; uneven
broken ground
- bankrupt or out of money
a broken industry
- (of colour) having a multicoloured decorative effect, as by stippling paint onto a surface
- informal.drunk
Derived Forms
- ˈǰԱ, adverb
Other 51Թ Forms
- k· adverb
- k·Ա noun
- -k adjective
- ɱ-k adjective
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of broken1
Example Sentences
Several stones of the Unesco World Heritage Site wall had been broken though, she added.
However, less than 40% of this figure is broken down into individual savings - which include cancelling government contracts, grants and leases.
A mini price war has broken out between mortgage providers, although many of the lowest-rate deals still require borrowers to provide a hefty deposit.
But the following caveat must always apply when assessing Donald Trump and his political fortunes: He has repeatedly broken the limitations, expectations, and force of the “conventional wisdom.”
The attacking phase can be broken down into three stages: the build-up, the construction and the finishing.
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