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fracture |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Fracture \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. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Fracture \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. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: fracture n 1: breaking of hard tissue such as bone; "it was a nasty fracture"; "the break seems to have been caused by a fall" [syn: {break}] 2: (geology) a fracture in the earth's crust with displacement of one side with respect to the other "they built it right on the San Andreas fault" [syn: {fault}, {geological fault}, {fault line}, {break}] 3: the act of cracking something [syn: {crack}, {cracking}] v 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: "She broke her clavicle" 6: fracture a bone of: "I broke my foot while playing hockey" [syn: {break}]
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