A broken line is not continuous but has gaps or spaces in it.
A broken blue line means the course of a waterless valley.
3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
You can use broken to describe a marriage that has ended in divorce, or a home in which the parents of the family are divorced, when you think this is a sad or bad thing.
[disapproval]
She spoke for the first time about the traumas of a broken marriage.
Children from broken homes are more likely to leave home before the age of 18.
Synonyms: failed, ruined, wrecked, unsuccessful More Synonyms of broken
4. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
If someone talks in broken English, for example, or in broken French, they speak slowly and make a lot of mistakes because they do not know the language very well.
Eric could only respond in broken English.
Synonyms: imperfect, halting, hesitating, stammering More Synonyms of broken
More Synonyms of broken
broken in British English
(ˈbrəʊkən)
verb
1. the past participle of break
adjective
2.
fractured, smashed, or splintered
a broken vase
3.
imperfect or incomplete; fragmentary
a broken set of books
4.
interrupted; disturbed; disconnected
broken sleep
5.
intermittent or discontinuous
broken sunshine
6.
varying in direction or intensity, as of pitch
a broken note
a broken run
7.
not functioning
a broken radio
8.
spoilt or ruined by divorce (esp in the phrases broken home, broken marriage)
9.
(of a trust, promise, contract, etc) violated; infringed
10.
overcome with grief or disappointment
a broken heart
11.
(of the speech of a foreigner) imperfect in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation
broken English
12. Also: broken-in
made tame or disciplined by training
a broken horse
a broken recruit
13.
exhausted or weakened as through ill-health or misfortune
14.
confused or disorganized
broken ranks of soldiers
15.
breached or opened
broken defensive lines
16.
irregular or rough; uneven
broken ground
17.
bankrupt or out of money
a broken industry
18.
(of colour) having a multicoloured decorative effect, as by stippling paint onto a surface
19. South Africa informal
drunk
Derived forms
brokenly (ˈbrokenly)
adverb
broken in American English
(ˈbroʊkən)
verb transitive, verb intransitive
1. pp. of
break
adjective
2.
split or cracked into pieces; splintered, fractured, burst, etc.
3.
not in working condition; out of order
a broken watch
4.
not kept or observed; violated
a broken promise
5.
disrupted, as by divorce
a broken home
6.
sick, weakened, or beaten
broken health, a broken spirit
7.
bankrupt
8.
not even or continuous; interrupted
broken terrain, broken tones
9.
not complete
a broken set of Shakespeare's works
10.
imperfectly spoken, esp. with reference to grammar and syntax
broken English
11.
subdued and trained; tamed
12. Informal
demoted in rank
see also break
Derived forms
brokenly (ˈbrokenly)
adverb
brokenness (ˈbrokenness)
noun
Word origin
ME < OE brocen, pp. of brecan, break
More idioms containing
broken
a broken heart
a broken reed
Examples of 'broken' in a sentence
broken
Councillor Steel's conversation, though as full as ever of complaint and accusation, did not seem to have broken any new ground.
Anthony Masters CASCADES - THE DAY OF THE DEAD (2001)
The ground was treacherous, pockmarked with deep holes, dead soldiers and broken horses.
Jennifer Fallon TREASON KEEP (2001)
Beside a bank was a huge pile of loose bricks, broken concrete, twisted metal.
James Grippando A KING'S RANSOM (2001)
In other languages
broken
British English: broken /ˈbrəʊkən/ ADJECTIVE
A broken line is not continuous but has gaps in it.
...a broken blue line.
American English: broken
Arabic: مَكْسور
Brazilian Portuguese: quebrado
Chinese: 不连贯的
Croatian: slomljen
Czech: rozbitý
Danish: knækket
Dutch: gebroken
European Spanish: discontinuo
Finnish: rikkinäinen
French: cassé
German: zerbrochen
Greek: σπασμένος
Italian: interrotto
Japanese: 壊れた
Korean: 부서진
Norwegian: ødelagt
Polish: połamany
European Portuguese: quebrado
Romanian: întrerupt
Russian: прерывистый
Latin American Spanish: roto
Swedish: trasig
Thai: เส้นประ
Turkish: kırık
Ukrainian: зламаний
Vietnamese: bị vỡ
All related terms of 'broken'
break
When an object breaks or when you break it, it suddenly separates into two or more pieces, often because it has been hit or dropped.
busticate
to break
fast break
a play, as in basketball , in which a team quickly moves down the playing area in an attempt to score before an adequate defense can be set up
brake
Brakes are devices in a vehicle that make it go slower or stop .
brake harrow
a device for slowing or stopping a vehicle, wheel , shaft , etc, or for keeping it stationary , esp by means of friction
break dance
an acrobatic dance style originating in the 1980s
broken-down
A broken-down vehicle or machine no longer works because it has something wrong with it.
Broken Hill
a town in SE Australia , in W New South Wales : mining centre for lead , silver , and zinc . Pop: 19 834 (2001)
broken line
a discontinuous line or series of line segments , as a series of dashes , or a figure made up of line segments meeting at oblique angles
broken lot
an irregular quantity or lot of securities that is smaller than the amount normally traded
broken play
an improvised offensive play that results when the originally planned play has not been executed properly
broken reed
a weak , unreliable , or ineffectual person
broken vein
a ruptured blood vessel
broken wind
→ heaves
wind-broken
(of a horse) asthmatic or heaving
broken chord
a chord played as an arpeggio
broken-field
of or having to do with running in which the ball carrier zigzags so as to go past defenders and avoid being tackled by them
broken heart
If you say that someone has a broken heart , you mean that they are very sad , for example because a love affair has ended unhappily.
broken number
a ratio of two expressions or numbers other than zero
broken-winded
suffering from heaves
house-broken
to train ( pets ) to urinate and defecate outside the house or in a special place, such as a litter tray
broken consort
to keep company (with undesirable people); associate
broken-hearted
Someone who is broken-hearted is very sad and upset because they have had a serious disappointment .
broken society
a perceived or apparent general decline in moral values
a broken heart
if someone has a broken heart , they feel very sad because a love affair or close relationship has ended
a broken reed
one of the members of a group who is very weak and cannot be depended on in difficult situations
broken white line
a regular , discontinuous white line on a roadway , indicating that overtaking is permitted
break in
If someone, usually a thief , breaks in , they get into a building by force.
break off
If part of something breaks off or if you break it off , it comes off or is removed by force .
break out
If something such as war , fighting , or disease breaks out , it begins suddenly.
break up
When something breaks up or when you break it up , it separates or is divided into several smaller parts.
break away
If you break away from someone who is trying to hold you or catch you, you free yourself and run away.
break down
If a machine or a vehicle breaks down , it stops working .
break even
to attain a level of activity, as in commerce , or a point of operation , as in gambling , at which there is neither profit nor loss
break into
If someone breaks into a building , they get into it by force.
break with
to end a relationship or association with (someone or an organization or social group)
open-field
of or denoting the system in which an arable area was divided into unenclosed strips , esp cultivated by different tenants
break through
If you break through a barrier , you succeed in forcing your way through it.
social recession
a perceived or apparent general decline in moral values
breakaway
A breakaway group is a group of people who have separated from a larger group, for example because of a disagreement .
heaves
a chronic respiratory disorder of animals of the horse family caused by allergies and dust
Chinese translation of 'broken'
broken
(ˈbrəukn)
pp
ofbreak
adj
[window, cup etc]破碎的 (pòsuì de)
[machine]坏(壞)损(損)的 (huàisǔn de)
[promise, vow]背弃(棄)的 (bèiqì de)
[line]
broken line虚(虛)线(線) (xūxiàn)
a broken leg折断(斷)的腿 (zhéduàn de tuǐ)
a broken marriage破裂的婚姻 (pòliè de hūnyīn)
a broken home破裂的家庭 (pòliè de jiātíng)
in broken English/French用蹩脚(腳)的英语(語)/法语(語) (yòng biéjiǎo de yīngyǔ/fǎyǔ)
Seebroke
All related terms of 'broken'
break
( cup, window etc ) 打碎 dǎsuì
broken line
虚(虛)线(線) xūxiàn
a broken home
破裂的家庭 pòliè de jiātíng
a broken leg
折断(斷)的腿 zhéduàn de tuǐ
a broken marriage
破裂的婚姻 pòliè de hūnyīn
in broken English/French
用蹩脚(腳)的英语(語)/法语(語) yòng biéjiǎo de yīngyǔ/fǎyǔ
to have a broken heart
心碎了 xīnsuìle
break in
( burglar ) 破门(門)而入 pòmén ér rù
break up
( ship ) 碎裂 suìliè
break away
( from pursuer etc ) 逃脱(脫) táotuō
break down
( machine, car ) 坏(壞)掉 huàidiào
break into
( house ) 强(強)行进(進)入 qiángxíng jìnrù
break off
( branch ) 折断(斷) zhéduàn
break open
( door, window etc ) 用力打开(開) yònglì dǎkāi
break out
( begin : war, fight ) 爆发(發) bàofā
break through
( sun ) 显(顯)现(現) xiǎnxiàn
she had her bag stolen/her arm broken
她的包被偷了/她的胳膊断(斷)了 tā de bāo bèi tōu le/tā de gēbo duàn le
1 (adjective)
Definition
interrupted
nights of broken sleep
Synonyms
interrupted
A toe injury caused her six weeks of interrupted training.
disturbed
incomplete
Some offices had incomplete information on spending.
erratic
disconnected
intermittent
After three hours of intermittent rain, the game was abandoned.
fragmentary
The extant volume is fragmentary.
spasmodic
My husband's work was so spasmodic.
discontinuous
the discontinuous nature of the country's economic development
2 (adjective)
the traumas of a broken marriage
Synonyms
failed
ruined
wrecked
unsuccessful
a second unsuccessful operation on his knee
abortive
an abortive attempt to prevent him from taking office
ending in divorce
3 (adjective)
Definition
(of the speech of a foreigner) imperfectly spoken
Eric could only respond in broken English.
Synonyms
imperfect
halting
The officer replied in halting German.
hesitating
stammering
disjointed
4 (adjective)
Definition
fractured, smashed, or splintered
Damp air came through the broken window.
Synonyms
smashed
destroyed
burst
a burst tyre
shattered
fragmented
fractured
demolished
severed
ruptured
rent
separated
shivered
5 (adjective)
Definition
not functioning
a broken guitar and a rusty snare drum
Synonyms
defective
Retailers can return defective merchandise.
not working
ruined
imperfect
We live in an imperfect world.
out of order
The espresso machine is out of order.
not functioning
on the blink (slang)
an old TV that's on the blink
on its last legs
kaput (informal)
Her film career was kaput.
6 (adjective)
Definition
(of a promise or contract) violated
History is made up of broken promises.
Synonyms
violated
forgotten
ignored
disregarded
not kept
infringed
retracted
disobeyed
dishonoured
transgressed
traduced
7 (adjective)
Definition
exhausted or weakened, as through ill-health or misfortune
He looked a broken man.
Synonyms
defeated
He'll be disinclined to treat a defeated enemy with leniency.
beaten
They had looked a beaten side with just seven minutes left.
crushed
humbled
tamed
subdued
oppressed
overpowered
vanquished
demoralized
the legitimate grievances of a demoralized workforce
browbeaten
8 (adjective)
Definition
fractured, smashed, or splintered
He escaped with a broken leg.
Synonyms
fractured
cracked
a cracked mirror
splintered
9 (adjective)
The broken skin became infected.
Synonyms
cut
wounded
pierced
punctured
perforated
ruptured
10 (adjective)
the rough broken ground in front of the flats
Synonyms
uneven
He staggered on the uneven surface of the car park.
rough
She made her way across the rough ground.
bumpy
bumpy cobbled streets
rutted
not flat
not level
not smooth
pitty
Additional synonyms
in the sense of abortive
Definition
failing to achieve its purpose
an abortive attempt to prevent him from taking office
Synonyms
failed,
failing,
useless,
vain,
unsuccessful,
idle,
ineffective,
futile,
fruitless,
unproductive,
ineffectual,
miscarried,
unavailing,
bootless
in the sense of beaten
They had looked a beaten side with just seven minutes left.