a. [ See Anfractuous. ] Anfractuous; as, anfractuose anthers. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Anfractuosities [ Cf. F. anfractuosité. ] 1. A state of being anfractuous, or full of windings and turnings; sinuosity. [ 1913 Webster ]

The anfractuosities of his intellect and temper. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anat.) A sinuous depression or sulcus like those separating the convolutions of the brain. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. anfractuosus, fr. anfractus a turning, a winding, fr. the unused anfringere to wind, bend; an-, for amb- + fractus, p. p. of frangere to break: cf. F. anfractueux. ] Winding; full of windings and turnings; sinuous; tortuous; as, the anfractuous spires of a horn. -- An*frac"tu*ous*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

n. A mazy winding. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. confractus, p. p. of confringere. ] Broken in pieces; severed. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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&unr_; rays of light. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. diffraction. ] (Opt.) The deflection and decomposition of light in passing by the edges of opaque bodies or through narrow slits, causing the appearance of parallel bands or fringes of prismatic colors, as by the action of a grating of fine lines or bars. [ 1913 Webster ]

Remarked by Grimaldi (1665), and referred by him to a property of light which he called diffraction. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

Diffraction grating. (Optics) See under Grating. --
Diffraction spectrum. (Optics) See under Spectrum. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. That produces diffraction.

v. t. [ L. fractus, p. p. of frangere to break. ] To break; to violate. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Her.) Having a part displaced, as if broken; -- said of an ordinary. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. fraction, L. fractio a breaking, fr. frangere, fractum, to break. See Break. ] 1. The act of breaking, or state of being broken, especially by violence. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Neither can the natural body of Christ be subject to any fraction or breaking up. Foxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A portion; a fragment. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some niggard fractions of an hour. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Arith. or Alg.) One or more aliquot parts of a unit or whole number; an expression for a definite portion of a unit or magnitude. [ 1913 Webster ]

Common fraction, or
Vulgar fraction, a fraction in which the number of equal parts into which the integer is supposed to be divided is indicated by figures or letters, called the denominator, written below a line, over which is the numerator, indicating the number of these parts included in the fraction; as 1/2, one half, 2/5, two fifths. --
Complex fraction, a fraction having a fraction or mixed number in the numerator or denominator, or in both. Davies & Peck. --
Compound fraction, a fraction of a fraction; two or more fractions connected by of. --
Continued fraction,
Decimal fraction,
Partial fraction, etc. See under Continued, Decimal, Partial, etc. --
Improper fraction, a fraction in which the numerator is greater than the denominator. --
Proper fraction, a fraction in which the numerator is less than the denominator. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. (Chem.) To separate by means of, or to subject to, fractional distillation or crystallization; to fractionate; -- frequently used with out; as, to fraction out a certain grade of oil from pretroleum. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to fractions or a fraction; constituting a fraction; as, fractional numbers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Relatively small; inconsiderable; insignificant; as, a fractional part of the population. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fractional crystallization (Chem.), a process of gradual and approximate purification and separation, by means of repeated solution and crystallization therefrom. --
Fractional currency, small coin, or paper notes, in circulation, of less value than the monetary unit. --
Fractional distillation (Chem.), a process of distillation so conducted that a mixture of liquids, differing considerably from each other in their boiling points, can be separated into its constituents. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. By fractions or separate portions; as, to distill a liquid fractionally, that is, so as to separate different portions. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Fractional. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To separate (a mixture of chemical substances) into different portions or fractions, as in the distillation of liquids. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the act or process of separating a mixture into portions of different composition, as in distillation or fractional crystallization.
Syn. -- fractional process. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

2. (Petroleum industry) Separation of crude oil into components of differing composition by fractional distillation. [ PJC ]

a. [ Cf. Prov. E. frack forward, eager, E. freak, fridge; or Prov. E. fratch to squabble, quarrel. ] Apt to break out into a passion; apt to scold; cross; snappish; ugly; unruly; as, a fractious man; a fractious horse.

Syn. -- Snappish; peevish; waspish; cross; irritable; perverse; pettish.

-- Frac"tious*ly, v. -- Frac"tious*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or consequent on, a fracture. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. fractura, fr. frangere, fractum, to break: cf. F. fracture. See Fraction. ] 1. The act of breaking or snapping asunder; rupture; breach. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Surg.) The breaking of a bone. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Min.) The texture of a freshly broken surface; as, a compact fracture; an even, hackly, or conchoidal fracture. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Fractured 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. infractus; pref. in- not + fractus. p. p. of frangere to break. ] Not broken or fractured; unharmed; whole. [ Obs. ] Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Infracted; p. pr. & vb. n. Infracting. ] [ L. infractus, p. p. of of infringere. See Infringe. ] To break; to infringe. [ R. ] Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being broken.[ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. infractio: cf. F. infraction. ] The act of infracting or breaking; breach; violation; nonobservance; infringement; as, an infraction of a treaty, compact, rule, or law. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. infracteur. ] One who infracts or infringes; a violator; a breaker. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., fr. li`qos stone + L. frangere, fractum, to break. ] An explosive compound of nitroglycerin. See Nitroglycerin. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. réfracter. SEe FRacture, and cf. Refrain, n. ] 1. To bend sharply and abruptly back; to break off. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being refracted. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. (Bot. & Zool.) Bent backward angularly, as if half-broken; as, a refracted stem or leaf. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Turned from a direct course by refraction; as, refracted rays of light. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Serving or tending to refract; as, a refracting medium. [ 1913 Webster ]

Refracting angle of a prism (Opt.), the angle of a triangular prism included between the two sides through which the refracted beam passes in the decomposition of light. --
Refracting telescope. (Opt.) See under Telescope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. réfraction. ] 1. The act of refracting, or the state of being refracted. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The change in the direction of ray of light, heat, or the like, when it enters obliquely a medium of a different density from that through which it has previously moved. [ 1913 Webster ]

Refraction out of the rarer medium into the denser, is made towards the perpendicular. Sir I. Newton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Astron.) (a) The change in the direction of a ray of light, and, consequently, in the apparent position of a heavenly body from which it emanates, arising from its passage through the earth's atmosphere; -- hence distinguished as atmospheric refraction, or astronomical refraction. (b) The correction which is to be deducted from the apparent altitude of a heavenly body on account of atmospheric refraction, in order to obtain the true altitude. [ 1913 Webster ]

Angle of refraction (Opt.), the angle which a refracted ray makes with the perpendicular to the surface separating the two media traversed by the ray. --
Conical refraction (Opt.), the refraction of a ray of light into an infinite number of rays, forming a hollow cone. This occurs when a ray of light is passed through crystals of some substances, under certain circumstances. Conical refraction is of two kinds; external conical refraction, in which the ray issues from the crystal in the form of a cone, the vertex of which is at the point of emergence; and internal conical refraction, in which the ray is changed into the form of a cone on entering the crystal, from which it issues in the form of a hollow cylinder. This singular phenomenon was first discovered by Sir W. R. Hamilton by mathematical reasoning alone, unaided by experiment. --
Differential refraction (Astron.), the change of the apparent place of one object relative to a second object near it, due to refraction; also, the correction required to be made to the observed relative places of the two bodies. --
Double refraction (Opt.), the refraction of light in two directions, which produces two distinct images. The power of double refraction is possessed by all crystals except those of the isometric system. A uniaxial crystal is said to be optically positive (like quartz), or optically negative (like calcite), or to have positive, or negative, double refraction, according as the optic axis is the axis of least or greatest elasticity for light; a biaxial crystal is similarly designated when the same relation holds for the acute bisectrix. --
Index of refraction. See under Index. --
Refraction circle (Opt.), an instrument provided with a graduated circle for the measurement of refraction. --
Refraction of latitude,
longitude,
declination,
right ascension, etc., the change in the apparent latitude, longitude, etc., of a heavenly body, due to the effect of atmospheric refraction. --
Terrestrial refraction, the change in the apparent altitude of a distant point on or near the earth's surface, as the top of a mountain, arising from the passage of light from it to the eye through atmospheric strata of varying density. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. réfractif. See Refract. ] Serving or having power to refract, or turn from a direct course; pertaining to refraction; as, refractive surfaces; refractive powers. [ 1913 Webster ]

Refractive index. (Opt.) See Index of refraction, under Index. --
Absolute refractive index (Opt.), the index of refraction of a substances when the ray passes into it from a vacuum. --
Relative refractive index (of two media) (Opt.), the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction for a ray passing out of one of the media into the other. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or condition of being refractive. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Refraction + -meter. ] (Opt.) A contrivance for exhibiting and measuring the refraction of light. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Anything that refracts; specifically: (Opt.) A refracting telescope, in which the image to be viewed is formed by the refraction of light in passing through a convex lens. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a refractory manner; perversely; obstinately. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or condition of being refractory. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. refractorius, fr. refringere: cf. F. refractaire. See Refract. ] 1. Obstinate in disobedience; contumacious; stubborn; unmanageable; as, a refractory child; a refractory beast. [ 1913 Webster ]

Raging appetites that are
Most disobedient and refractory. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Resisting ordinary treatment; difficult of fusion, reduction, or the like; -- said especially of metals and the like, which do not readily yield to heat, or to the hammer; as, a refractory ore. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Perverse; contumacious; unruly; stubborn; obstinate; unyielding; ungovernable; unmanageable. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A refractory person. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Refractoriness. [ Obs. ] Jer. TAylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. OPottery) A piece of ware covered with a vaporable flux and placed in a kiln, to communicate a glaze to the other articles. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. (Surg.) To break again, as a bone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Surg.) A second breaking (as of a badly set bone) by the surgeon. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Pref. retro- + L. fractus, p. p. of frangere to break. ] (Bot.) Refracted; as, a retrofract stem. [ 1913 Webster ]