Definitions for: Fracture


[n] the act of cracking something
[n] (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"
[n] breaking of hard tissue such as bone; "it was a nasty fracture"; "the break seems to have been caused by a fall"
[v] fracture a bone of; "I broke my foot while playing hockey"
[v] break, as of a bone; "She broke her clavicle"
[v] become fractured; "The tibia fractured from the blow of the iron pipe"
[v] violate or abuse; "This writer really fractures the language"
[v] break into pieces; "The pothole fractured a bolt on the axle"
[v] interrupt, break, or destroy; "fracture the balance of power"



Webster (1913) Definition: 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.

Synonyms: break, break, break, crack, cracking, fault, geological fault, shift

See Also: abuse, break, break, break off, breakage, breaking, cleft, closed fracture, comminuted fracture, complete fracture, compound fracture, compression fracture, crack, crevice, Denali Fault, depressed fracture, destroy, destruct, discontinue, displaced fracture, fatigue fracture, fault line, fissure, harm, hurt, impacted fracture, inclined fault, incomplete fracture, injury, misuse, open fracture, pervert, refracture, San Andreas Fault, scissure, simple fracture, stop, stress fracture, strike-slip fault, trauma

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