Do not trust him, he is a broken reed.
broken reed
idiomSomething or someone very fragile or unreliable.
Origin
first recorded 17th c.From broken + reed (with reference to the quotation in 1611, see below).
I hoped my old car would get me to the city, but it proved a broken reed and stopped halfway.
The politician realized that his former allies were a broken reed when they refused to support his new policy.
- 01
broken heart
A feeling of grief or loss, especially after a failed romantic relationship.
- 02
broken hearted
Of a person, that has a broken heart.
- 03
broken home
A home in which the parents have separated or divorced.
- 04
broken man
A man who has suffered significant and enduring emotional pain as a result of a highly unpleasant or traumatic event.
- 05
broken record
Someone or something that constantly repeats itself, causing annoyance.
- 06
broken vessel
A person who is destroyed or forgotten, or who feels flawed or broken.
- 07
slender reed
A person, fact, or resource on which one can rely only to a limited extent.
- 08
walk on broken glass
To do everything possible to achieve something, even if it involves great risk or discomfort.