ˈbrəukən past part. of
BREAK(1). --adj. 1
that has been broken;
out of
order. 2 (of a person) reduced to
despair;
beaten. 3 (of a
language or of speech)
spoken falteringly
and with many mistakes, as by a
foreigner (broken English). 4 disturbed, interrupted (broken time). 5
uneven (broken ground). øbroken chord Mus. a chord in
which the notes are played successively. broken-down 1
worn out by
age,
use, or ill-treatment. 2 out of order. broken-hearted overwhelmed with
sorrow or
grief. broken-heartedness grief. broken
home a
family in which the parents are divorced or separated. broken reed a
person who has
become unreliable or
ineffective. broken wind heaves (see
HEAVE n. 3). broken-winded (of a horse) disabled by ruptured air-cells in the lungs. øøbrokenly adv. brokenness n.