1525, "a breaking of a bone," from M.Fr. fracture, from L. fractura "a breach, break, cleft" (1502), from root of frangere "to break" (see fraction). The verb is first recorded 1612.
breaking of hard tissue such as bone; "it was a nasty fracture"; "the break seems to have been caused by a fall"
2.
(geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other; "they built it right over a geological fault"; "he studied the faulting of the earth's crust" [syn: fault]
3.
the act of cracking something
verb
1.
violate or abuse; "This writer really fractures the language"
2.
interrupt, break, or destroy; "fracture the balance of power"
3.
break into pieces; "The pothole fractured a bolt on the axle"
4.
become fractured; "The tibia fractured from the blow of the iron pipe"
5.
break (a bone); "She broke her clavicle"
6.
fracture a bone of; "I broke my foot while playing hockey"
fractureAudio Help (frāk'chər) Pronunciation Key
A break or rupture in bone tissue. ◇ A comminuted fracture results in more than two fragments. ◇ Although most fractures are caused by a direct blow or sudden, twisting force, stress fractures result from repetitive physical activity. ◇ In an incomplete fracture, the fracture line does not completely traverse the bone.
Main Entry: 2fracture Function: transitive verb Inflected Forms: frac·tured; frac·tur·ing/-ch&-ri[ng], -shri[ng]/ 1: to cause a fracture in <fracture a rib> 2: to cause a rupture or tear in <a blow that fractured a kidney>
Main Entry: 1frac·ture Pronunciation: 'frak-ch&r, -sh&r Function: noun 1: the act or process of breaking or the state of
being broken; specifically: the breaking of hard tissue (as bone) —see POTT'S FRACTURE 2: the rupture (as by tearing) of soft tissue <kidney fracture>
Com"mi*nute\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Comminuted; p. pr. & vb. n. Comminuting.] [L. comminutus, p. p. of comminuere to comminute; com- + minuere to lessen. See Minute.] To reduce to minute particles, or to a fine powder; to pulverize; to triturate; to grind; as, to comminute chalk or bones; to comminute food with the teeth. --Pennant. Comminuted fracture. See under Fracture.
Com"pound\, a. [OE. compouned, p. p. of compounen. See Compound, v. t.] Composed of two or more elements, ingredients, parts; produced by the union of several ingredients, parts, or things; composite; as, a compound word. Compound substances are made up of two or more simple substances. --I. Watts. Compound addition, subtraction, multiplication, division (Arith.), the addition, subtraction, etc., of compound numbers. Compound crystal (Crystallog.), a twin crystal, or one seeming to be made up of two or more crystals combined according to regular laws of composition. Compound engine (Mech.), a form of steam engine in which the steam that has been used in a high-pressure cylinder is made to do further service in a larger low-pressure cylinder, sometimes in several larger cylinders, successively. Compound ether. (Chem.) See under Ether. Compound flower (Bot.), a flower head resembling a single flower, but really composed of several florets inclosed in a common calyxlike involucre, as the sunflower or dandelion. Compound fraction. (Math.) See Fraction. Compound fracture. See Fracture. Compound householder, a householder who compounds or arranges with his landlord that his rates shall be included in his rents. [Eng.] Compound interest. See Interest. Compound larceny. (Law) See Larceny. Compound leaf (Bot.), a leaf having two or more separate blades or leaflets on a common leafstalk. Compound microscope. See Microscope. Compound motion. See Motion. Compound number (Math.), one constructed according to a varying scale of denomination; as, 3 cwt., 1 qr., 5 lb.; -- called also denominate number. Compound pier (Arch.), a clustered column. Compound quantity (Alg.), a quantity composed of two or more simple quantities or terms, connected by the sign + (plus) or - (minus). Thus, a + b - c, and bb - b, are compound quantities. Compound radical. (Chem.) See Radical. Compound ratio (Math.), the product of two or more ratios; thus ab:cd is a ratio compounded of the simple ratios a:c and b:d. Compound rest (Mech.), the tool carriage of an engine lathe. Compound screw (Mech.), a screw having on the same axis two or more screws with different pitch (a differential screw), or running in different directions (a right and left screw). Compound time (Mus.), that in which two or more simple measures are combined in one; as, 6-8 time is the joining of two measures of 3-8 time. Compound word, a word composed of two or more words; specifically, two or more words joined together by a hyphen.
Dif*fract"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Diffracted; p. pr. & vb. n. Diffracting.] [L. diffractus, p. p. of diffringere to break in pieces; dif- = dis- + frangere to break. See Fracture.] To break or separate into parts; to deflect, or decompose by deflection, a? rays of light.
Frac"ture\ (?; 135), n. [L. fractura, fr. frangere, fractum, to break: cf. F. fracture. See Fraction.]1. The act of breaking or snapping asunder; rupture; breach. 2. (Surg.) The breaking of a bone. 3. (Min.) The texture of a freshly broken surface; as, a compact fracture; an even, hackly, or conchoidal fracture. Comminuted fracture (Surg.), a fracture in which the bone is broken into several parts. Complicated fracture (Surg.), a fracture of the bone combined with the lesion of some artery, nervous trunk, or joint. Compound fracture (Surg.), a fracture in which there is an open wound from the surface down to the fracture. Simple fracture (Surg.), a fracture in which the bone only is ruptured. It does not communicate with the surface by an open wound. Syn: Fracture, Rupture. Usage: These words denote different kinds of breaking, according to the objects to which they are applied. Fracture is applied to hard substances; as, the fracture of a bone. Rupture is oftener applied to soft substances; as, the rupture of a blood vessel. It is also used figuratively. "To be an enemy and once to have been a friend, does it not embitter the rupture?" --South.
Frac"ture\ (?; 135), n. [L. fractura, fr. frangere, fractum, to break: cf. F. fracture. See Fraction.]1. The act of breaking or snapping asunder; rupture; breach. 2. (Surg.) The breaking of a bone. 3. (Min.) The texture of a freshly broken surface; as, a compact fracture; an even, hackly, or conchoidal fracture. Comminuted fracture (Surg.), a fracture in which the bone is broken into several parts. Complicated fracture (Surg.), a fracture of the bone combined with the lesion of some artery, nervous trunk, or joint. Compound fracture (Surg.), a fracture in which there is an open wound from the surface down to the fracture. Simple fracture (Surg.), a fracture in which the bone only is ruptured. It does not communicate with the surface by an open wound. Syn: Fracture, Rupture. Usage: These words denote different kinds of breaking, according to the objects to which they are applied. Fracture is applied to hard substances; as, the fracture of a bone. Rupture is oftener applied to soft substances; as, the rupture of a blood vessel. It is also used figuratively. "To be an enemy and once to have been a friend, does it not embitter the rupture?" --South.
Frac"ture\ (?; 135), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fractured (#; 135); p. pr. & vb. n.. Fracturing.] [Cf. F. fracturer.] To cause a fracture or fractures in; to break; to burst asunder; to crack; to separate the continuous parts of; as, to fracture a bone; to fracture the skull.
Re*fract"\ (r?*fr$kt"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Refracted; p. pr. & vb. n. Refracting.] [L. refractus, p. p. of refringere; pref. re- re- + frangere to break: cf. F. r['e]fracter. SEe FRacture, and cf. Refrain, n.]1. To bend sharply and abruptly back; to break off. 2. To break the natural course of, as rays of light orr heat, when passing from one transparent medium to another of different density; to cause to deviate from a direct course by an action distinct from reflection; as, a dense medium refrcts the rays of light as they pass into it from a rare medium.
Rup"ture\ (?; 135), n. [L. ruptura, fr. rumpere, ruptum to break: cf. F. rupture. See Reave, and cf. Rout a defeat.]1. The act of breaking apart, or separating; the state of being broken asunder; as, the rupture of the skin; the rupture of a vessel or fiber; the rupture of a lutestring. --Arbuthnot. Hatch from the egg, that soon, Bursting with kindly rupture, forth disclosed Their callow young. --Milton. 2. Breach of peace or concord between individuals; open hostility or war between nations; interruption of friendly relations; as, the parties came to a rupture. He knew that policy would disincline Napoleon from a rupture with his family. --E. Everett. 3. (Med.) Hernia. See Hernia. 4. A bursting open, as of a steam boiler, in a less sudden manner than by explosion. See Explosion. Modulus of rupture. (Engin.) See under Modulus. Syn: Fracture; breach; break; burst; disruption; dissolution. See Fracture.
![[P]](http://cache.lexico.com/g/d/premium_mh.gif){kind=small}
Audio Help [frak-cher] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, -tured, -tur·ing. 
k
ch
r)
