broke
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++broke1 /brəʊk $ broʊk/ verb x-refthe past tense of break break的过去式broke2 adjective [not before noun] 1 MONEYhaving no money 身无分文的 I’m fed up with being broke all the time. 我受够了老是身无分文。flat/stony broke (=completely broke) 身无分文的2 go broke FAILif a company or business goes broke, it can no longer operate because it has no money 破产 A lot of small businesses went broke in the recession. 经济衰退的时候许多小企业都破产了。3 go for broke informalRISK to take big risks when you try to achieve something 孤注一掷，豁出去 At 2–0 down with ten minutes left, you have to go for broke. 比赛只剩十分钟的时候还是零比二落后，就得豁出去了。4. if it ain't broke, don't fix itdon't fix it if it ain't broke informal used to say that you should not try to improve a system, situation etc that is satisfactory 如果还没坏就不要去修〔指某一制度、情况等还过得去，就不要设法改进它〕
Examples from the Corpus
broke• "Can you lend me some money?" "Sorry, I'm broke."• Who spends his portion will be broke.• I can't go - I'm broke.• She just come back off holiday and she's completely broke.• If you removed the future earnings, Baker told jurors, O. J. Simpson is flat broke.• Bethlehem went broke a year later, but a reissue set appeared 20 years later.• He turned up at my house yesterday, flat broke and hungry.• Tilden died broke, and shunned by many because of his conviction for homosexuality with underage partners.• We're always broke at the end of the month.• Lawrence was so broke he had to wear the same suit to work every day.• Naturally I am broke, or almost.flat/stony broke• If you removed the future earnings, Baker told jurors, O. J. Simpson is flat broke.• The treating, perhaps fortunately, cut his visit short for after a few nights of festivities he was stony broke.• You have obviously suffered considerable ill treatment and you are stony broke.• Mary recalls how they were flat broke and almost living hand to mouth.• I was stony broke, with only a Shell credit card to get me home to Massachusetts.From Longman Business Dictionarybrokebroke /brəʊkbroʊk/ adjective informal1having no money at all or very little moneyBy 1933 his career was over and he was broke.2flat broke American English, stony broke British English completely without moneySYN PENNILESSThe district is flat broke and says it will not keep schools open past Tuesday.Origin broke2 (1700-1800) An old past participle of breakbroke1 verbbroke2 adjectiveChinese
Business of break past the tense Corpus
See break for more
broke
broke1 /brəʊk $ broʊk/ 
the past tense of break
broke2 adjective [not before noun]
I’m fed up with being broke all the time.
flat/stony broke (=completely broke)
2. go broke if a company or business goes broke, it can no longer operate because it has no money:
A lot of small businesses went broke in the recession.
3. go for broke informal to take big risks when you try to achieve something:
At 2–0 down with ten minutes left, you have to go for broke.
4. if it ain't broke, don't fix it informal used to say that you should not try to improve a system, situation etc that is satisfactory
| I |
the past tense of break
| II |
adjective [not before noun] Date: 1700-1800
Origin: An old past participle of break
1. having no money:Origin: An old past participle of break
flat/stony broke (=completely broke)
2. go broke if a company or business goes broke, it can no longer operate because it has no money:
3. go for broke informal to take big risks when you try to achieve something:
4. if it ain't broke, don't fix it informal used to say that you should not try to improve a system, situation etc that is satisfactory
