fracture

American  

[frak-cher] / ˈfræk tʃər /

noun

1. the breaking of a bone, cartilage, or the like, or the resulting condition.

2. the act of breaking; state of being broken.

3. a break, breach, or split.

4. the characteristic manner of breaking.

   a material of unpredictable fracture.

5. the characteristic appearance of a broken surface, as of a mineral.

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verb (used with object)

fractured, fracturing

1. to cause or to suffer a fracture in (a bone, etc.).

2. to break or crack.

   Synonyms:

   split, rupture, splinter, shatter, smash

3. Slang. to amuse highly or cause to laugh heartily; delight.

   The new comic really fractured the audience.

verb (used without object)

fractured, fracturing

1. to become fractured; break.

   a mineral that does not fracture easily.

fracture British  

/ ˈfræktʃə /

noun

1. the act of breaking or the state of being broken

2. 1. the breaking or cracking of a bone or the tearing of a cartilage

   2. the resulting condition See also Colles' fracture comminuted fracture compound fracture greenstick fracture impacted

3. a division, split, or breach

4. mineralogy

   1. the characteristic appearance of the surface of a freshly broken mineral or rock

   2. the way in which a mineral or rock naturally breaks

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verb

1. to break or cause to break; split

2. to break or crack (a bone) or (of a bone) to become broken or cracked

3. to tear (a cartilage) or (of a cartilage) to become torn

fracture Scientific  

/ frăk′chər /

1. A break or rupture in bone tissue.

2. ◆ A comminuted fracture results in more than two fragments.

3. ◆ Although most fractures are caused by a direct blow or sudden, twisting force, stress fractures result from repetitive physical activity.

4. ◆ In an incomplete fracture, the fracture line does not completely traverse the bone.

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Other Word Forms

• fracturable adjective
• fractural adjective
• fracturer noun
• postfracture adjective
• refracturable adjective
• refracture verb
• unfractured adjective

Etymology

Origin of fracture

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin frāctūra “a breach, cleft, fracture,” from frāct(us) “broken” (past participle of frangere “to break, shatter”; break ) + -ūra -ure

Example Sentences

Burden’s family legacy was fractured by infidelity and a laissez faire attitude, at least in the public sphere, toward men behaving badly.

From Los Angeles Times

World War II fractured the marriage of Sydney and David.

From The Wall Street Journal

In a surprising discovery that could reshape fluid mechanics, researchers at Drexel University have shown that under certain conditions, a simple liquid can behave like a solid and fracture.

From Science Daily

But six months on from that ceasefire agreement, Gaza's future is uncertain, stuck in a fractured limbo between war and peace.

From BBC

Kidnapping had occurred before the civil war, but the scale and nature of it changed dramatically after 2014, when Yemen when Yemen in effect fractured under rival governments.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• crack
• fissure
• wound