Define the term "Broken man"

[MissGinaKid]

Recently my cousin gave birth to a baby girl so we had a small family reunion. My dad and my uncle (My fathers brother) hadn't seen each other in a few years and on the way back my dad said "Your uncle harry like a broken man." My uncle is currently unemployed, Drinks and smokes on a regular basis and doesn't eat much. Despite that I thought my uncle looked happy to be there and actually enjoying seeing his daughter and new granddaughter. To me. A broken man is someone in emotional turmoil Almost to the point of suicide.

So my question is this,
How do you define a broken man? Is it a man who is depressed and on his last leg or a man who has nothing going for him in life.

 

[BonsaiK]

I don't define it, because I simply never use the term. It's too vague to be useful, and as you've pointed out it really says nothing about what someone's state of mind or living conditions really are. It's a worthless term, there are better ways to describe someone's negative qualities if it must come to that.

 

[OutforEC]

Broken would indicate that one was normal to begin with, and I believe we're all broken in some way.

Which is what makes us interesting, btw.

 

[JET1971]

was he the opposite at one time or another and was there a traggic event between? a broken man is a man who was doing good until something tragic happened. thus breaking him and now he doesnt much care anymore as far as anyone can tell. i myself am broken at 40 because of a tragic issue. am i wanting suicide? no. i am simply not the same person as i once was and have little sympathy towards others when they whine and cry over simple issues. frankly "i dont give a shit" is my attitude half the time towards other peoples problems.

 

[Valagetti]

"You can't break a man, like you break a dog or a horse. The harder you beat a man the taller he stands."

 

[Erana]

In my opinion, to break someone is to put them in a state where their values, ideals and motivation simply stop mattering to them.

 

[Saxm13]

Any man who finishes watching a Twilight movie with his girlfriend.