Green’s Dictionary of Slang

see alderman n. (2)

(US) leftover food.

1954

(con. c.1910) Louis Armstrong Satchmo 29: When he came home he brought with him a lot of ‘broken arms’ which were the leftovers from the tables he served .

(US) a malfunctioning penis; thus an impotent male.

1965

(con. WWII) R. Leckie Challenge 195: ‘You shanter mechanic!’ they howled. ‘You think I want a broken arrow?’.

(N.Z. prison) a prisoner who has failed to deal emotionally with the pressure of prison life; thus relegated to the bottom of the inmate hierarchy.

1982		G. Newbold Big Huey 59: If the others knew the way I was feeling they’d call me ‘broken arse’.
1991		B. Stewart Broken Arse II vii: whimple: Hey, you’re a scab, man! You’ve sold out! [...] all: Broken arse, Broken arse, Broken arse.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 34: broken-arse A prisoner who has caved in to the system and goes to the bottom of the pecking order among his fellow prisoners. 1980s.

(Aus.) any silver coin.

1943		Baker Popular Dict. Aus. Sl. (2nd edn).
1955		N. Pulliam I Travelled a Lonely Land (1957) 231/1: broken hill – a silver coin.

bankrupt.

1797

‘T.B. Junr.’ Pettyfogger Dramatized I ii: These are sad broken-kneed times!

seduced, deflowered.

1859		Matsell Vocabulum 14: broken leg A woman that has had a child out of marriage.
1937–84		Partridge DSUE (1984) 138/2: C.17–early 20.

see boat and oar n.

see broke up adj.

(Aus.) something, e.g. a person or set of circumstances, that looks good to outsiders but is really filled with problems.

2000		Le Slang at fanfaninoz.free.fr 🌐 he’s a Broken packet of biscuits his life looks good on the outside, but his [sic] a mess on the inside.
2002		Aus. Sl. Phrases 🌐 It’s a Broken packet of biscuits … looks good on the outside, but is a mess on the inside.