a broken line

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a broken line" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a line that is not continuous, often in contexts such as art, design, or mathematics. Example: "The artist used a broken line to create a sense of movement in the painting."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

36 human-written examples

The heavily made-up presenters, who declare, in broken English and over a broken line, the meaningless division of points between nations.

Independent

They are notated with a broken line for Yin, and an unbroken line for Yang.

The Guardian - Books

The fires stretch nearly from Ventura to the Mexican border in a broken line that appears to mirror the coastline.

The New York Times

Or it can be used almost dry to make a broken line that scrapes along textured paper.

The Guardian - Arts

After a gap, there was another walkway, and then another; they continued into the distance in a broken line.

The New Yorker

An example is vernier acuity, in which the viewer attempts to discern the alignment of two segments of a broken line.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

The serene work is based on a floor plan of a Buddhist stupa, a temple used for meditation, and is made of a broken-line circle on the marble floor around the baptismal font, with approximately eight-inch lines radiating from it at various intervals, capped by shorter lines.

The New York Times - Arts

Besides, the secondary stage of the OMRL test fits a broken-line model since various stress levels are conducted on the specimen.

Construction and Building Materials

The HRTEM image of the tungsten oxide nanorod (marked by a broken-line circle) in Figure 3b correlates with that in the TEM image shown in Figure 3a.

Nanoscale Research Letters

The R package segmented (Muggeo 2008) was used to fit the relation between Γ and the replication time t rep with a regression model with a broken-line relationship.

Genome Biology and Evolution

The evolution of the SW was quantified by computing the filament trace using the Montani et al. [ 40] version of the Marching Cube algorithm, implemented by Barkley et al. in EZ-SCROLL [ 41, 42], which is a broken-line approximation of the line of intersection of isosurfaces of the voltage variable, V = −50 mV, and the transient outward current inactivation gate variable o i = 0.5.

BioMed Research International

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing technical diagrams or graphs, specify the type of broken line (e.g., dashed, dotted) for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "a broken line" when you actually mean a "dashed line" or "dotted line". A broken line implies a more irregular, less uniform discontinuity than those terms.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a broken line" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as a descriptive element within a sentence. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's both correct and usable. Its purpose is to identify a line that isn't continuous.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

47%

News & Media

25%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a broken line" is a grammatically sound and versatile noun phrase employed to depict lines characterized by interruptions or gaps. Ludwig AI affirms its validity and usability, with its application spanning across diverse fields, including science, news, and general knowledge. While appropriate in both formal and informal contexts, specifying the type of broken line enhances clarity in technical writing. Be aware of potential confusion with other line types like dashed or dotted lines, ensuring accurate and precise communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an interrupted line

Changes "broken" to "interrupted", emphasizing the lack of continuity in the line.

a dashed line

Replaces "broken" with "dashed", indicating a line composed of dashes instead of being continuous.

a fragmented line

Substitutes "broken" for "fragmented", highlighting the line's composition of separate, disconnected pieces.

a discontinuous line

Uses "discontinuous" instead of "broken", emphasizing the absence of a continuous connection.

a severed line

Changes "broken" to "severed", suggesting a more forceful separation or break in the line.

a fractured line

Replaces "broken" with "fractured", implying a crack or split within the line.

a disrupted line

Substitutes "broken" with "disrupted", focusing on an interference that has broken the line.

an incomplete line

Replaces "broken" with "incomplete", highlighting that the line is not fully formed or whole.

a patchy line

Uses "patchy" instead of "broken", emphasizing the line's uneven or intermittent presence.

a faulty line

Changes "broken" to "faulty", implying the line has a defect or weakness causing it to break.

FAQs

How do you describe a line that isn't continuous?

You can describe a line that isn't continuous as "a broken line", a "dashed line", or a "dotted line", depending on the specific appearance of the discontinuity.

What is an alternative to "a broken line"?

Alternatives to "a broken line" include "an interrupted line", "a fragmented line", or "a discontinuous line".

How does a "broken line" differ from a "dotted line"?

While both indicate a non-continuous line, "a broken line" suggests a more irregular or erratic break, whereas a "dotted line" implies a series of evenly spaced dots.

In what contexts is "a broken line" commonly used?

"A broken line" is commonly used in mathematics, art, and design to describe lines that are not continuous. It also appears in descriptions of physical breaks or discontinuities.