broke

[brohk]

verb

1. a simple past tense of break.

2. Nonstandard.,  a past participle of break.

3. Archaic.,  a past participle of break.

adjective

1. without money; penniless.

   Synonyms: impoverished, destitute, insolvent

2. bankrupt.

   Synonyms: impoverished, destitute, insolvent

noun

1. Papermaking.,  paper unfit for sale; paper that is to be repulped.

2. brokes, wool of poor quality taken from the neck and belly of sheep.

broke

/ brəʊk /

verb

1. the past tense of break

adjective

1. informal,  having no money; bankrupt

2. slang,  to risk everything in a gambling or other venture

Word History and Origins

Origin of broke¹

First recorded in 1655–65 for the adjective; 1875–80 for the noun

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go broke,

   1. to become destitute of money or possessions.

   2. to go bankrupt.

      In that business people are forever going broke.

2. go for broke, to exert oneself or employ one's resources to the utmost.

see flat broke; go broke; go for (broke); if it ain't broke don't fix it. Also see under break.

Example Sentences

The Sabbath thing, how upset he was when they broke up and they fired him, he was like, “What am I going to do now?”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The friend suspected her former domestic partner, Alfred “Al” Labrada, who was then an assistant chief in the Los Angeles Police Department, had secretly planted the AirTag to monitor her movements after they broke up.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The vote broke down mostly along partisan lines.

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Mr Barley said his relationship broke down under the strain of trying to cope with his escalating council tax debt, which he estimates reached a total of about £6,000.

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"They broke my growing bones from the knee. Luckily my right leg did grow equally and now it's only a couple of millimetres' difference. I can still tell there is a difference!" she said.

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Related Words

• bankrupt 
• destitute 
• insolvent 
• penniless