/ ˈbrəʊkən; NAmE ˈbroʊ-/ adjective
DAMAGED
1.
that has been damaged or injured; no longer whole or working correctly :
a broken window / plate
a broken leg / arm
pieces of broken glass
How did this dish get broken ?
The TV's broken.
—see also broken heart
RELATIONSHIP
2.
[ usually before noun ] ended or destroyed :
a broken marriage / engagement
—see also broken home
PROMISE / AGREEMENT
3.
[ usually before noun ] not kept
NOT CONTINUOUS
4.
[ usually before noun ] not continuous; disturbed or interrupted :
a night of broken sleep
a single broken white line across the road
PERSON
5.
[ only before noun ] made weak and tired by illness or difficulties :
He was a broken man after the failure of his business.
LANGUAGE
6.
[ only before noun ] ( of a language that is not your own ) spoken slowly and with a lot of mistakes; not fluent :
to speak in broken English
GROUND
7.
having a rough surface :
an area of broken, rocky ground
—see also break , broke , broken verb
••
SYNONYMS
broken
out of order ♦ broken-down ♦ on the blink
All these words describe sth that is damaged or no longer working correctly.
broken
that has been damaged or injured; no longer whole or working correctly:
a broken window / plate
•
a broken leg / arm
out of order
[not before noun] ( rather formal ) (of a machine, etc.) not working correctly:
The toilets are all out of order.
broken-down
[usually before noun] in a very bad condition; not working correctly; very tired and sick:
a broken-down old car / horse
on the blink
( informal ) (of a machine) not working correctly:
The fuel gauge had gone on the blink .
out of order or on the blink?
Out of order is a slightly formal phrase, used especially about machines and equipment that are available for the public to use; you would be less likely to use it about your own phone, television, etc.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
The TV/video / washing machine is broken / on the blink.
The phone is out of order / on the blink.