broken
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++bro·ken1 /ˈbrəʊkən $ ˈbroʊ/ verb x-refthe past participle of break break的过去分词Examples from the Corpus
broken• But your partner has just broken a leg and is recovering at home.• The shed windows were broken and stood out black and jagged by the reflected light of the moon.• Vacuum cleaners were broken before they made the first one.• Of course, my friend has already broken his resolution.• His neck was broken when Sigsworth hit him with a fire extinguisher.• Only at this point can we begin healing ourselves and our broken world.• Simon had broken yesterday's confidences?ldoce_063_fbroken2 ●●● S3 W2 adjective 1 
PIECE OF EQUIPMENTBROKENpiece of equipment 设备 not working properly 坏的，不能使用的 The CD player’s broken again. 激光唱机又坏了。 Do you know how the phone got broken (=became broken)? 你知道电话是怎么坏掉的吗？2 OBJECTBROKENobject 物体 in small pieces because it has been hit, dropped etc 破的；破碎的；损坏的；断裂的 Mind the broken glass. 当心碎玻璃。 Wrap it up well so it doesn’t get broken (=become broken) in the mail. 把它包装好，免得在邮寄过程中打碎。 →5 see picture at 见图 damage23 BONEBROKENbone 骨头 cracked because you have had an accident 折断的，骨折的 a badly broken leg 严重骨折的腿 Gibbs had an X-ray, which revealed no broken bones. 吉布斯拍了X光片，显示没有骨折。4 INTERRUPTEDLINEnot continuous 不连续的 interrupted and not continuous 被打断的；断断续续的 a broken white line 一条断断续续的白线 a long noisy night of broken sleep 时醒时睡的吵闹长夜5 PERSONWEAKperson 人 extremely weak mentally or physically because you have suffered a lot 〔精神或身体〕垮掉的；衰弱的；颓丧的 He returned from the war a broken man. 他从战场上回来，整个人都垮了。6. broken English/French etc SPEAK A LANGUAGEif you speak in broken English, French etc, you speak slowly and make a lot of mistakes because you know only a little of the language 蹩脚[不流利]的英语/法语等7 broken home SSFDIVORCEa family that no longer lives together because the parents have divorced 〔夫妻离异造成的〕破裂家庭 The majority of offenders do not come from broken homes. 大多数犯罪者并非来自破裂家庭。8. broken marriage SSFDIVORCEa marriage that has ended because the husband and wife do not live together anymore 破裂的婚姻9 a broken heart SAD/UNHAPPYa feeling of extreme sadness, especially because someone you love has died or left you 破碎的心 I reckon she died of a broken heart. 我估计她是伤心过度而死的。n10 a broken society a society which has many social and financial problems This report paints a depressing picture of Britain's broken society. THESAURUSbroken if something is broken, it does not work properly 破碎的，断裂的5This suitcase is no good – the handle’s broken.这个手提箱没用了，提手断了。5The floor was covered in broken glass.地板上满是碎玻璃。nI think my watch is broken.nThe camera got broken when we were on holiday.nThe birds had gotten into the cabin through a broken window.nIn the corner of the room were a broken chair and a rickety old desk.out of order [not before noun] if a machine, especially one used by the public, is out of order, it is not working for a temporary period 〔尤指公共设备、机器等〕出故障，失灵Every phone I tried was out of order. 我试的每个电话都出了故障。The toilets were all out of order. 所有的抽水马桶都坏了。down [not before noun] if a computer system is down, it is not working 〔计算机系统〕不能运行的，有故障的The computer system was down all afternoon, so we went home. 电脑系统整个下午都无法运行，所以我们回家去了。 | go down (=stop working) 出故障The network went down at 11:00 and we lost the whole morning’s work. 网络11点钟出了故障，我们一上午的工作全没了。non the blink (also on the fritz American English) [not before noun] informal if a piece of electrical equipment is on the blink, it sometimes works and sometimes does notMy TV’s on the blink again. | go on the blink/fritzThe car’s air conditioning went on the fritz just as we reached Dallas.there’s something wrong with something used when saying that a car, machine etc does not work properly and you do not know why 〔汽车、机器等〕出了什么故障[问题]There’s something wrong with my car; I think it might be the battery. 我的汽车出问题了，我觉得可能是电池故障。nThere was something wrong with the photocopier, so we called in the service company. | have something wrong with itnIf the VCR has something wrong with it, take it back to the store.something has had it informal used when saying that a car, machine etc is completely broken and cannot be repaired 〔汽车、机器等〕彻底坏了I’m afraid the bike’s had it. 恐怕这辆自行车是完蛋了。Examples from the Corpus
broken• "What's the time?" "I don't know, my watch is broken."• This suitcase is no good - the handle's broken.• I think my ankle's broken.• One little boy had a broken arm.• broken beer bottles• The accident left her with three broken bones in her wrist.• In the corner of the room were a broken chair and a rickety old desk.• He grew up oppressed by the sense of belonging to a broken culture, deprived of his inheritance.• a broken dishwasher• The two students, one Chinese, the other Greek, communicated in broken English.• Bits of broken glass sparkled in the sunlight.• The floor was covered in broken glass.• One side of his immaculate jacket was soaked through and spiked with broken glass.• They're covered in broken glass.• I think the doorbell must be broken - I didn't hear anything.• By 1947, Fred was a broken man addicted to alcohol and the treble chance.• Gary returned from the war a broken man.• We had months of broken sleep before the baby finally slept through the night.• The camera was broken, so none of my pictures turned out.• Half the space is taken up by a picture of a violin - ah yes, but one with a broken string.• Tossed between them like a broken toy fit only for the dustbin.• One of them was a doctor, a large, unhealthy looking specimen with a huge warty nose covered in broken veins.• The birds had gotten into the cabin through a broken window.got broken• It got broken when I dropped everything last night.get broken• How did the lawn mower get broken?• If you leave your toys on the floor, they'll get broken.• When her grandchildren visit, she puts away anything she doesn't want to get broken.• Pack the cookies carefully so they won't get broken in the mail.• It holds its shape very well since it doesn't get broken springs, lumps or bumps.• It got broken when I dropped everything last night.• A few of the cups got broken while we were moving house.bro·ken1 verbbroken2 adjective →THESAURUS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
Corpus of participle break the past
See break for more
broken
bro‧ken1 /ˈbrəʊkən $ ˈbroʊ/ 
the past participle of break
broken2 adjective
1. PIECE OF EQUIPMENT not working properly:
The CD player’s broken again.
Do you know how the phone got broken (=became broken)?
2. OBJECT in small pieces because it has been hit, dropped etc:
Mind the broken glass.
Wrap it up well so it doesn’t get broken (=become broken) in the mail.
3. BONE cracked because you have had an accident:
a badly broken leg
Gibbs had an X-ray, which revealed no broken bones.
4. NOT CONTINUOUS interrupted and not continuous:
a broken white line
a long noisy night of broken sleep
5. PERSON extremely weak mentally or physically because you have suffered a lot:
He returned from the war a broken man.
6. broken English/French etc if you speak in broken English, French etc, you speak slowly and make a lot of mistakes because you know only a little of the language
7. broken home a family that no longer lives together because the parents have divorced:
The majority of offenders do not come from broken homes.
8. broken marriage a marriage that has ended because the husband and wife do not live together anymore
9. a broken heart a feeling of extreme sadness, especially because someone you love has died or left you:
I reckon she died of a broken heart.
▪ broken something that is broken has become separated into pieces, for example by being hit or dropped: The floor was covered in broken glass. | This suitcase is no good – the handle’s broken. | The birds had gotten into the cabin through a broken window. | In the corner of the room were a broken chair and a rickety old desk.
▪out of order [not before noun] if a machine, especially one used by the public, is out of order, it is not working for a temporary period: Every phone I tried was out of order. | The toilets were all out of order.
▪down [not before noun] if a computer system is down, it is not working: The computer system was down all afternoon, so we went home. | go down (=stop working): The network went down at 11:00 and we lost the whole morning’s work.
▪on the blink (also on the fritz American English) [not before noun] informal if a piece of electrical equipment is on the blink, it sometimes works and sometimes does not: My TV’s on the blink again. | go on the blink/fritz : The car’s air conditioning went on the fritz just as we reached Dallas.
▪there’s something wrong with something used when saying that a car, machine etc does not work properly and you do not know why: There’s something wrong with my car; I think it might be the battery. | There was something wrong with the photocopier, so we called in the service company. | have something wrong with it : If the VCR has something wrong with it, take it back to the store.
▪something has had it informal used when saying that a car, machine etc is completely broken and cannot be repaired: I’m afraid the bike’s had it.
| I |
the past participle of break
| II |
adjective Word Family: noun: break, outbreak, breakage; adjective: breakable ≠ unbreakable, broken ≠ unbroken; verb: break
1. PIECE OF EQUIPMENT not working properly:
2. OBJECT in small pieces because it has been hit, dropped etc:
3. BONE cracked because you have had an accident:
4. NOT CONTINUOUS interrupted and not continuous:
5. PERSON extremely weak mentally or physically because you have suffered a lot:
6. broken English/French etc if you speak in broken English, French etc, you speak slowly and make a lot of mistakes because you know only a little of the language
7. broken home a family that no longer lives together because the parents have divorced:
8. broken marriage a marriage that has ended because the husband and wife do not live together anymore
9. a broken heart a feeling of extreme sadness, especially because someone you love has died or left you:
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