broken field
noun
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broken field
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broken-field
broken-fieldadjectiveperformed, as by a ball-carrier, in a wide-open area covered by few defensive players, as opposed to the heavily trafficked area near the line of scrimmage.
broken field
1 Americannoun
broken-field
2
American
[broh-kuhn-feeld]
/ ˈbroʊ kənˈfild /
adjective
Football.
Etymology
Origin of broken field1
An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900
Origin of broken-field2
An Americanism dating back to 1920–25
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Van der Merwe, a sensational broken field runner, has lost too much ground on the other three at this point.
From BBC • Jul. 2, 2025
His teammate Perry called him the best broken field runner he had ever seen.
From Washington Post • Jun. 23, 2022
De Laura fired a pass at midfield to Joey Hobert, who made a great broken field run to complete a 55-yard touchdown and lift Washington State to a 17-10 lead late in the third.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 9, 2021
Manoa gets it back though and MacGinty goes searing through the broken field, dummying and getting up to the 22.
From The Guardian • Sep. 20, 2015
He had made a run of ninety yards through a broken field in the last minute of play.
From Bert Wilson on the Gridiron by Duffield, J. W.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
