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more about broke
broke |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Break \Break\, v. t. [imp. {broke}, (Obs. {Brake}); p. p. {Broken}, (Obs. {Broke}); p. pr & vb n. {Breaking}.] [OE. breken, AS brecan; akin to OS brekan, D. breken, OHG. brehhan G. brechen, Icel. braka to creak, Sw braka, br["a]kka to crack, Dan. br[ae]kke to break, Goth. brikan to break, L. frangere Cf {Bray} to pound, {Breach}, {Fragile}.] 1. To strain apart; to sever by fracture; to divide with violence; as to break a rope or chain; to break a seal; to break an axle; to break rocks or coal; to break a lock. --Shak. 2. To lay open as by breaking; to divide; as to break a package of goods. 3. To lay open as a purpose; to disclose, divulge, or communicate. Katharine break thy mind to me --Shak. 4. To infringe or violate, as an obligation, law, or promise. Out out hyena! these are thy wonted arts . . . To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray. --Milton 5. To interrupt; to destroy the continuity of to dissolve or terminate; as to break silence; to break one's sleep; to break one's journey. Go release them Ariel; My charms I'll break, their senses I'll restore. --Shak. 6. To destroy the completeness of to remove a part from as to break a set 7. To destroy the arrangement of to throw into disorder; to pierce; as the cavalry were not able to break the British squares. 8. To shatter to pieces; to reduce to fragments. The victim broke in pieces the musical instruments with which he had solaced the hours of captivity. --Prescott. 9. To exchange for other money or currency of smaller denomination; as to break a five dollar bill. 10. To destroy the strength, firmness, or consistency of as to break flax. 11. To weaken or impair, as health, spirit, or mind. An old man, broken with the storms of state. --Shak. 12. To diminish the force of to lessen the shock of as a fall or blow. I'll rather leap down first and break your fall. --Dryden. 13. To impart, as news or information; to broach; -- with to and often with a modified word implying some reserve; as to break the news gently to the widow; to break a purpose cautiously to a friend. 14. To tame; to reduce to subjection; to make tractable; to discipline; as to break a horse to the harness or saddle. ``To break a colt.'' --Spenser. Why, then thou canst not break her to the lute? --Shak. 15. To destroy the financial credit of to make bankrupt; to ruin. With arts like these rich Matho, when he speaks, Attracts all fees, and little lawyers breaks. --Dryden. 16. To destroy the official character and standing of to cashier; to dismiss. I see a great officer broken. --Swift. Note: With prepositions or adverbs: {To break down}. a To crush; to overwhelm; as to break down one's strength; to break down opposition. b To remove, or open a way through by breaking; as to break down a door or wall. {To break in}. a To force in as to break in a door. b To train; to discipline; as a horse well broken in {To break of}, to rid of to cause to abandon; as to break one of a habit. {To break off}. a To separate by breaking; as to break off a twig. b To stop suddenly; to abandon. ``Break off thy sins by righteousness.'' --Dan. iv 27. {To break open}, to open by breaking. ``Open the door, or I will break it open.'' --Shak. {To break out}, to take or force out by breaking; as to break out a pane of glass. {To break out a cargo}, to unstow a cargo, so as to unload it easily. {To break through}. a To make an opening through as as by violence or the force of gravity; to pass violently through as to break through the enemy's lines; to break through the ice. b To disregard; as to break through the ceremony. {To break up}. a To separate into parts to plow (new or fallow ground). ``Break up this capon.'' --Shak. ``Break up your fallow ground.'' --Jer. iv 3. b To dissolve; to put an end to ``Break up the court.'' --Shak. {To break} one {all up}, to unsettle or disconcert completely; to upset. [Colloq.] Note: With an immediate object: {To break the back}. a To dislocate the backbone; hence to disable totally. b To get through the worst part of as to break the back of a difficult undertaking. {To break bulk}, to destroy the entirety of a load by removing a portion of it to begin to unload; also to transfer in detail, as from boats to cars. {To break cover}, to burst forth from a protecting concealment, as game when hunted. {To break a deer} or {stag}, to cut it up and apportion the parts among those entitled to a share. {To break fast}, to partake of food after abstinence. See {Breakfast}. {To break ground}. a To open the earth as for planting; to commence excavation, as for building, siege operations, and the like as to break ground for a foundation, a canal, or a railroad. b Fig.: To begin to execute any plan c (Naut.) To release the anchor from the bottom. {To break the heart}, to crush or overwhelm one with grief. {To break a house} (Law), to remove or set aside with violence and a felonious intent any part of a house or of the fastenings provided to secure it {To break the ice}, to get through first difficulties; to overcome obstacles and make a beginning; to introduce a subject. {To break jail}, to escape from confinement in jail, usually by forcible means {To break a jest}, to utter a jest. ``Patroclus . . . the livelong day breaks scurril jests.'' --Shak. {To break joints}, to lay or arrange bricks, shingles, etc., so that the joints in one course shall not coincide with those in the preceding course. {To break a lance}, to engage in a tilt or contest. {To break the neck}, to dislocate the joints of the neck. {To break no squares}, to create no trouble. [Obs.] {To break a path}, {road}, etc., to open a way through obstacles by force or labor. {To break upon a wheel}, to execute or torture, as a criminal by stretching him upon a wheel, and breaking his limbs with an iron bar; -- a mode of punishment formerly employed in some countries. {To break wind}, to give vent to wind from the anus. Syn: To dispart; rend; tear; shatter; batter; violate; infringe; demolish; destroy; burst; dislocate. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Broke \Broke\, v. i. [See {Broker}, and cf {Brook}.] 1. To transact business for another. [R.] --Brome. 2. To act as procurer in love matters; to pimp. [Obs.] We do want a certain necessary woman to broke between them Cupid said --Fanshawe. And brokes with all that can in such a suit Corrupt the tender honor of a maid. --Shak. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Broke \Broke\ (br[=o]k), imp. & p. p. of {Break}. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: broke adj : lacking funds; "`skint' is a British slang term" [syn: {bust}, {skint}, {stone-broke}, {stony-broke}]
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