English · Common Verbs
broke
/broʊk/
[/broʊk/]
past tense of break
Beginnerverb
Definition
Past tense of 'break': to have separated something into pieces or stopped it working.
Example
He broke his phone when it slipped from his hand and fell onto the hard floor.
He broke his phone when it slipped from his hand and fell onto the hard floor.
Etymology
From Old English 'bræc', past tense of 'brecan' (to break).
How & Where It’s Used
Used for completed breaking in the past; the adjective 'broke' also means having no money.