[Vocabulary] Broken/not working/out of order

[Waawe]

Hey, is there any difference in using broken/not working/out of order? Or do we use them equally and we can interchange them freely?

 

[Rover_KE]

Is there any difference between [STRIKE]using[/STRIKE] broken/not working/out of order? Yes.

Or do we use them equally? No.

Can we interchange them freely? Definitely not.

A window can be broken but it's not out of order or not working.

A torch (AE flashlight) could be not working because the battery's dead. It's not broken or out of order.

A lift (AE elevator) could be out of order but not broken.

Rover

 

[SoothingDave]

A window can be broken but it's not out of order or not working.

A torch (AE flashlight) could be not working because the battery's dead. It's not broken or out of order.

A lift (AE elevator) could be out of order but not broken.

Rover

I'm going to differ with you. I agree that a broken window is not "out of order."

But a malfunctioning machine (like an elevator or vending machine) is basically broken when it is "out of order." We say machines "break down."

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm going to differ with you. I agree that a broken window is not "out of order."

But a malfunctioning machine (like an elevator or vending machine) is basically broken when it is "out of order." We say machines "break down."

I agree in the context of the lift (elevator) but a coffee/vending machine could be out of order simply because there is no coffee/food/drink to go in it. There might be nothing wrong with the machine itself but someone would still probably put an "Out of Order" sign on it.

 

[Waawe]

Thank you all, very enlightening. I see what you mean. Well done.