broken

broken dreams

wishes or desires that cannot be fulfilled. We all have our share of broken dreams, but they were never all meant to come true anyway.

See also: dream

broken reed

an unreliable or undependable person. (On the image of a useless, broken reed in a reed instrument.) You can't rely on Jim's support. He's a broken reed. Mr. Smith is a broken reed. His deputy has to make all the decisions.

See also: reed

die of a broken heart

Fig. to die of emotional distress. I was not surprised to hear of her death. They say she died of a broken heart. In the movie, the heroine appeared to die of a broken heart, but the audience knew she was poisoned.

See also: die, heart

Promises are like piecrust, made to be broken.

Prov. It is useless to make promises, because people always break their promises. Lisa made Andrew promise not to drink anymore, but promises are like piecrust, made to be broken.

See also: like, made, Promise

sound like a broken record

to say the same thing over and over again. (Fig. on a scratch in a phonograph record causing the needle [or stylus] to stay in the same groove and play it over and over.) He's always complaining about the way she treats him. He sounds like a broken record! I hate to sound like a broken record, but we just don't have enough people on the payroll to work effciently.

See also: like, record, sound