past part. of BREAK(1).
adj. 1 that has been broken; out of order. 2 (of a person) reduced to despair; beaten. 3 (of a language or of speech) spoken falteringly and with many mistakes, as by a foreigner (broken English). 4 disturbed, interrupted (broken time). 5 uneven (broken ground). broken chord Mus. a chord in which the notes are played successively. broken-down 1 worn out by age, use, or ill-treatment. 2 out of order. broken-hearted overwhelmed with sorrow or grief. broken-heartedness grief. broken home a family in which the parents are divorced or separated. broken reed a person who has become unreliable or ineffective. broken wind heaves (see HEAVE n. 3). broken-winded (of a horse) disabled by ruptured air-cells in the lungs. brokenly adv. brokenness n.