Simple past tense of heartbreak; to cause someone severe emotional pain, typically through romantic betrayal or loss.
From 'heartbreak' as a verb, past tense. 'Heart' (Old English 'heorte') + 'broke' (past tense of 'break,' Old English 'brecan'). The verb form developed from the noun in Middle English.
Different languages express heartbreak differently—some have single words for it (German 'Herzschmerz'), while others require sentences, meaning some cultures may think of emotional pain as more singular and definable.
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