broke — having no money; financially ruined
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: having no money; financially ruined
Pronunciation (IPA): /broʊk/
Example Sentences
- I'm so broke that I had to sell my guitar to buy ramen noodles.
- The washing machine broke right before I had a job interview.
- After spending all his money on crypto, Jake was completely broke.
broke
ADJECTIVE[/broʊk/]
having no money; financially ruined
He's totally broke after paying rent, staring at his empty wallet.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word 'broke' derives from Old English 'brecan', meaning 'to break or shatter'. The past tense form 'broke' emerged from the strong verb conjugation in Old English. By the 19th century, it acquired slang usage meaning 'having no money' or 'penniless', likely from the metaphorical sense of being 'broken' financially.
Breakdown
Old English 'brecan' (to break, shatter) → Middle English 'breken' → Modern English 'broke' (past tense of break). The slang sense developed from the literal meaning of something being broken or damaged, applied metaphorically to one's financial condition.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“I'm so broke that I had to sell my guitar to buy ramen noodles.”
“The washing machine broke right before I had a job interview.”
“After spending all his money on crypto, Jake was completely broke.”
“My laptop broke, so now I'm writing essays on my phone like a caveman.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.