Delicately coloured plates broken (6)
I believe the answer is:
pastel
'delicately coloured' is the definition.
The answer and definition are different parts of speech. However, adjectives and past participle verbs can occasionally mean the same thing.
'plates broken' is the wordplay.
'broken' is an anagram indicator.
'plates' anagrammed gives 'PASTEL'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for pastel that I've seen before include "Outmoded" , "Drawing crayon; light shade" , "Chalk-like crayon" , "Crayon used in art" , "Soft shade (of a colour)" .)