Meaning & use
broken shoelace
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A shoelace that has snapped or come apart, so it can no longer be used.
Grammar: Countable: a broken shoelace, two broken shoelaces. Often used with 'have' or 'replace'.
Patterns
- have a broken shoelace
- replace a broken shoelace
I was late because I had to stop and fix a broken shoelace.
He tied the two ends of the broken shoelace together.
A broken shoelace is a small problem, but it can ruin your morning.
Word forms
| plural | broken shoelaces |
|---|
Common combinations
- have a broken shoelace
- I can't run today because I have a broken shoelace.
- fix a broken shoelace
- She fixed the broken shoelace with a knot.
- a broken shoelace
- A broken shoelace made him trip on the stairs.
Synonyms and how they differ
- snapped lace
- A descriptive phrase, not a set expression; it emphasizes the lace has snapped rather than just being damaged.
Word family
- shoelace noun
- The string used to tie a shoe.
Commonly confused: broken shoelace or broken record?
broken shoelace vs broken record
A broken record is an idiom about repeating yourself; a broken shoelace is just a damaged object, not an idiom.
Practice
What does 'broken shoelace' mean?
Choose one answer.
Broken means snapped or damaged, so a broken shoelace is one that has come apart. The other options describe different things.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “broken shoelace”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.