ˈbæŋkrʌpt adj., n., & v. --adj. 1 a
insolvent; declared in
law unable to pay debts. b undergoing
the legal process resulting
from this. 2 (often foll. by of) exhausted or drained (of
some quality etc.);
deficient,
lacking. --n. 1 a an insolvent
person whose estate is administered
and disposed of
for the
benefit of the creditors. b an insolvent
debtor. 2 a person exhausted of or deficient in a
certain attribute (a
moral bankrupt). --v.tr.
make bankrupt. øøbankruptcy n. (pl. -ies). [16th
c.: f. It banca rotta
broken bench (as
BANK(2), L rumpere ruptbreak), assim. to L]