| / English Dictionary |
BROKEN
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
Example:
his neck is broken
Classified under:
Also:
damaged (harmed or injured or spoiled)
injured (harmed)
imperfect (not perfect; defective or inadequate)
unsound (not sound financially)
Attribute:
integrity; unity; wholeness (an undivided or unbroken completeness or totality with nothing wanting)
Antonym:
unbroken (not broken; whole and intact; in one piece)
Sense 2
Meaning:
(especially of promises or contracts) having been violated or disregarded
Example:
broken contracts
Synonyms:
broken; unkept
Classified under:
Domain category:
contract (a binding agreement between two or more persons that is enforceable by law)
Antonym:
unbroken ((especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Not continuous in space, time, or sequence or varying abruptly
Example:
broken sobs
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
broken-field (varying in direction suddenly and frequently)
dashed; dotted (having gaps or spaces)
fitful; interrupted; off-and-on (intermittently stopping and starting)
halting (fragmentary or halting from emotional strain)
Also:
discontinuous; noncontinuous (not continuing without interruption in time or space)
Antonym:
unbroken (marked by continuous or uninterrupted extension in space or time or sequence)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Lacking a part or parts
Example:
a broken set of encyclopedia
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
incomplete; uncomplete (not complete or total; not completed)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Discontinuous
Example:
broken sunshine
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
distributed (spread out or scattered about or divided up)
Domain category:
meteorology (the earth science dealing with phenomena of the atmosphere (especially weather))
Sense 6
Meaning:
Out of working order ('busted' is an informal substitute for 'broken')
Example:
the coke machine is busted
Synonyms:
broken; busted
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
damaged (harmed or injured or spoiled)
Domain usage:
colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)
Sense 7
Meaning:
Destroyed financially
Example:
the broken fortunes of the family
Synonyms:
broken; impoverished; wiped out
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
destroyed (spoiled or ruined or demolished)
Sense 8
Meaning:
Weakened and infirm
Example:
broken health resulting from alcoholism
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
impaired (diminished in strength, quality, or utility)
Sense 9
Meaning:
Thrown into a state of disarray or confusion
Example:
with everything so upset
Synonyms:
broken; confused; disordered; upset
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
disorganised; disorganized (lacking order or methodical arrangement or function)
Sense 10
Meaning:
Imperfectly spoken or written
Example:
broken English
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
imperfect (not perfect; defective or inadequate)
Sense 11
Meaning:
Subdued or brought low in condition or status
Example:
his broken spirit
Synonyms:
broken; crushed; humbled; humiliated; low
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
humble (marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful)
Sense 12
Meaning:
Topographically very uneven
Example:
rugged ground
Synonyms:
broken; rugged
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
rough; unsmooth (having or caused by an irregular surface)
Sense 13
Meaning:
Tamed or trained to obey
Example:
this old nag is well broken in
Synonyms:
broken; broken in
Classified under:
Adjectives
Similar:
tame; tamed (brought from wildness into a domesticated state)
II. (verb)
Sense 1
Past participle of the verb break
Context examples:
Researcher say olive oil reduced inflammation and triggers a process called autophagy, which helps broken down cells to flush intracellular debris and toxins.
(Study: Olive Oil Protects Brain From Alzheimer’s, VOA News)
However, the proportion of sperm DNA fragmentation—broken DNA in the sperm—was higher in the supplement group (29.7%), compared to the placebo group (27.2%).
(Zinc, folic acid supplement does not improve male fertility, National Institutes of Health)
This process involves the invasion of a homologous region of an intact chromosome by the centromere-proximal end of the broken chromosome.
(Break-Induced Replication, NCI Thesaurus)
A traumatic or pathologic injury to the clavicle in which the continuity of the clavicle is broken.
(Clavicle Fracture, NCI Thesaurus)
If you have stained, broken or uneven teeth, cosmetic dentistry can help.
(Cosmetic Dentistry, NIH)
“Mas'r Davy,” exclaimed Ham, in a broken voice, “it ain't no fault of yourn—and I am far from laying of it to you—but his name is Steerforth, and he's a damned villain!”
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
Chromosomal translocation is involved in repairing broken DNA and in maintaining cell viability at the expense of long term genomic stability.
(Chromosomal Translocation Process, NCI Thesaurus)
The component of dietary fiber which is not broken down by extended acid and alkaline treatment.
(Crude Fiber, NCI Thesaurus/CRCH)
A device with an electrical circuit that does not conduct current because a switch is open, a wire is broken, etc.
(Device Open Circuit Evaluation Result, Food and Drug Administration)
Device problems that occur when the device becomes worn, weakened, corroded, or broken down due to processes such as aging, permeation, and corrosion.
(Device Degradation Problem Evaluation Result, Food and Drug Administration)
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