broke

[ brohk ]
/ broʊk /

verb

adjective

without money; penniless.

noun

Papermaking. paper unfit for sale; paper that is to be repulped.
brokes, wool of poor quality taken from the neck and belly of sheep.

Idioms for broke

    go broke,
    1. to become destitute of money or possessions.
    2. to go bankrupt: In that business people are forever going broke.
    go for broke, to exert oneself or employ one's resources to the utmost.

Origin of broke

1655–65 (adj.); 1875–80 (noun)

Definition for broke (2 of 2)

Origin of break

before 900; Middle English breken, Old English brecan; cognate with Dutch breken, German brechen, Gothic brikan; akin to Latin frangere; see fragile

synonym study for break

1. Break, crush, shatter, smash mean to reduce to parts, violently or by force. Break means to divide by means of a blow, a collision, a pull, or the like: to break a chair, a leg, a strap. To crush is to subject to (usually heavy or violent) pressure so as to press out of shape or reduce to shapelessness or to small particles: to crush a beetle. To shatter is to break in such a way as to cause the pieces to fly in many directions: to shatter a light globe. To smash is to break noisily and suddenly into many pieces: to smash a glass.

OTHER WORDS FROM break

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH break

brake break

Example sentences from the Web for broke

British Dictionary definitions for broke (1 of 2)

broke
/ (brəʊk) /

verb

the past tense of break

adjective

informal having no money; bankrupt
go for broke slang to risk everything in a gambling or other venture

British Dictionary definitions for broke (2 of 2)

break
/ (breɪk) /

verb breaks, breaking, broke or broken

noun

interjection

boxing wrestling a command by a referee for two opponents to separate

Word Origin for break

Old English brecan; related to Old Frisian breka, Gothic brikan, Old High German brehhan, Latin frangere Sanskrit bhráj bursting forth

Idioms and Phrases with broke (1 of 2)

broke

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

Idioms and Phrases with broke (2 of 2)

break