Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BROKE, v.i. [Sax. brucan, to use, employ, enjoy; to eat or chew; to brook; to profit; broce, use; brec, use, gain; bryce, gain, profit, fruit, fructus; a violation, or breaking; Sw. bruka; G. brauchen; Dan. bruger; D. gebruiken, to use or employ; L. fruor, for frucor, whence fructus, fruit; Gr. πρασσω, πραξω, πραγμα. See Practice.]

To transact business for another in trade; to act as agent in buying and selling, and other commercial business; to transact business by an agent. – Bacon. Shak. [This word is little used, at least in America; and English writers seem to have used it in a low sense.]