broken vessel
A person who is destroyed or forgotten, or who feels flawed or broken.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He feels like a broken vessel after losing his job.”
“After the scandal, the politician felt like a broken vessel, unable to face his former supporters.”
“The aging poet wandered the streets, a broken vessel of lost dreams and forgotten verses, mourning the life he once led.”
Derived from Old Testament symbolism, in which human beings are likened to clay vessels. The term draws upon the biblical imagery of a container that has lost its utility through damage.
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all bedlam breaks loose
The situation becomes chaotic or characterized by conflict or rage.
- 02
all hell breaks loose
The situation becomes chaotic or characterized by conflict or rage.
- 03
big break
A breakthrough, especially the first big hit of a previously unknown performer or performers in the entertainment industry.
- 04
break a leg
Good luck!; Do your best!; Said to someone wishing they perform well in a theatrical production or comparable endeavor.
- 05
break a sweat
To put effort into something.
- 06
break cover
To disclose one's real thoughts and intentions.
- 07
break down
To give in or give up: relent, concede, surrender.
- 08
break even
To neither gain nor lose money.
Last updated August 10, 2026