broken steps
[/ˈbroʊkən stɛps/]
noun phrase
degraus quebrados / degraus danificados
1. Steps or stairs that are damaged, fractured, or no longer in good condition, posing a safety hazard
The apartment building had broken steps leading to the entrance, making it difficult for elderly residents to climb.
O prédio de apartamentos tinha degraus quebrados levando à entrada, dificultando a subida para os moradores idosos.
2. Figuratively, a disruption or interruption in a sequence or progression
The project faced broken steps in its development due to funding issues.
O projeto enfrentou passos quebrados em seu desenvolvimento devido a problemas de financiamento.
In Brazil, broken steps in public buildings or residential areas are a common maintenance issue, particularly in older neighborhoods and lower-income communities. The phrase is often used literally when discussing building safety and maintenance, and metaphorically in Portuguese to describe interrupted progress or difficult advancement in various contexts.
NYC Slang
busted steps / messed up stairs
Related Idioms & Phrases
to take broken steps forward (avançar a passos quebrados) - to progress with difficulty
one broken step away from disaster (um degrau quebrado longe do desastre) - to be in a precarious situation
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