text: do you say, "broken at the waist" or "broken by the waist"? thanks in advance. simple question for english native speakers. it would depend on the sense in which you were using it. it's not a common expression in english.  if you were describing the way a garment looked, say, a long white dress, broken at the waist by a pink sash.  if you were speaking of a  vessel, such as a vase, which was damaged at the narrowest point, it could be broken at the waist. it would not be used either way to describe  an anatomical break, i don't think.  the only way you could use "by the waist " would be to explain a shape altered by the waist.