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broke

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broke¹

  • /ˈbɹəʊ̯k/ UK
  • /bɹɒk/ Northumbria, UK
  • /ˈbɹoʊ̯k/ Canada, US
  • /ˈbɹɔʊ̯k/ Canada, US

Rhymes with -əʊk

Where it comes from

Ablauted form of break.

verb

  1. past simple past of break
  2. archaic, nonstandard, participle, past, poetic past participle of break Accordingly, he came with a mob the next day; and after they had broke all the windows...

adjective broker · more broke · brokest · most broke

  1. informal, not comparable, usually Financially ruined, bankrupt. He was broke after spending all his money into video games.
  2. informal, not comparable, usually Without any money, penniless. dead broke; flat broke

    Similar: almsless, arm, badly off, bankrupt, beggared, beggarly, boracic, broke, broken, broker than the Ten Commandments, depauperate, destitute

  3. archaic, informal, not comparable, usually Broken. If it ain’t broke, don't fix it.
  4. not comparable, usually Demoted, deprived of a commission. He was broke and rendered unfit to serve His Majesty at sea.

broke²

  • /ˈbɹəʊ̯k/ UK
  • /bɹɒk/ Northumbria, UK
  • /ˈbɹoʊ̯k/ Canada, US
  • /ˈbɹɔʊ̯k/ Canada, US

Rhymes with -əʊk

Where it comes from

From Middle English broce, from Old English gebroc (“fragment”), from brecan (“to break”). Compare broken, past participle of break. Compare also Scots brock (“a scrap of meat or bread”).

noun brokes

  1. countable, uncountable Paper or board that is discarded and repulped during the manufacturing process. If the broke accumulates, a larger proportion can be used in making coloured papers, otherwise the above quantity is sufiicient.
  2. countable, obsolete, uncountable A fragment, remains, a piece broken off. Why dost though linger, then, / To hear the flatteries of these men of rags? / These bankrupt beggar-men, / Whose riches are the broke meat in their bags?

broke³

  • /ˈbɹəʊ̯k/ UK
  • /bɹɒk/ Northumbria, UK
  • /ˈbɹoʊ̯k/ Canada, US
  • /ˈbɹɔʊ̯k/ Canada, US

Rhymes with -əʊk

Where it comes from

Back-formation from broker.

verb brokes · broking · broked

  1. To act as a broker; to transact business for another; synonym of broker. Agents broking with various other carriers can offer additional options.
  2. obsolete To act as procurer in love matters; to pimp. But we do want a certain necessary / Woman, to broke between them CUPID said;

broke⁴

  • /ˈbɹəʊ̯k/ UK
  • /bɹɒk/ Northumbria, UK
  • /ˈbɹoʊ̯k/ Canada, US
  • /ˈbɹɔʊ̯k/ Canada, US

Rhymes with -əʊk

Where it comes from

Clipping of broke off.

adjective more broke · most broke

  1. slang Broke off, rich, wealthy.

Broke⁵

proper noun

  1. A locality in the Singleton council area, eastern New South Wales, Australia.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: stone-broke, stony-broke, skint, poor, bust, went, blew, got, came, began, did, threw, slammed, defeated, down, tore

Translations

Every language

adj lacking money; bankrupt

Españolpelado, sin un duro, sin un peso, sin blanca, tieso, a dos velas
日本語すっからかん sukkarakan
中文手頭緊 /手头紧 shǒutóujǐn, 手緊 /手紧 shǒujǐn, 沒錢 /没钱 méiqián
Kiswahilimsoto
Portuguêsquebrado, duro, liso
Françaisfauché, à sec, désargenté
Deutschpleite, abgebrannt, broke
Italianoal verde, in bancarotta, fallito
Ελληνικάάφραγκος áfragkos
Românălefter
Русскийразори́вшийся razorívšijsja, разорённый razorjónnyj, безде́нежный bezdénežnyj, без гроша́ bez grošá, обанкро́тившийся obankrótivšijsja, на мели́ na melí
العربيةمُفْلِس muflis

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MLA

"broke." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/broke. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

broke. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/broke

Chicago

"broke." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/broke.

BibTeX
@misc{broke_2026,
  title = {broke},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/broke},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}