fracture
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a crack or break in a bone.
n.a medical condition in which there is a partial or complete break in the continuity of a bone.
Simple“The X-ray showed a small fracture in her wrist after the fall.”
In context“The surgeon explained that the compound fracture would require internal fixation with titanium plates to ensure proper alignment during the healing process.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.a crack or split in a rock or the earth's surface.
n.any separation in a geologic formation, such as a joint or a fault, that divides the rock into two or more pieces.
Simple“Water seeped into the fractures in the cliff, causing the rock to split.”
In context“Geologists monitored the deep fractures in the bedrock, noting that increased pressure from groundwater could trigger minor seismic activity.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to break or crack, or to cause something to break.
v.to undergo or cause a break or crack in a hard object or material.
Simple“The cold weather caused the old pipes to fracture and leak.”
In context“The extreme thermal stress caused the glass casing to fracture, compromising the vacuum seal of the experimental chamber.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
v.to divide a group of people into smaller, often angry, parts.
v.to cause a group, organisation, or society to split into fragments or disagreeing factions.
Simple“The political party began to fracture after the leaders disagreed on the new law.”
In context“The coalition began to fracture along ideological lines, making it nearly impossible for the prime minister to pass the proposed budget.”
- 05 C2 Proficiency
v.to make someone laugh very hard.
v.to amuse someone intensely or cause them to laugh uncontrollably.
Simple“That comedian's jokes about his cat really fractured the audience.”
In context“His deadpan delivery of such absurd anecdotes never failed to fracture the room, even among the most cynical critics.”
UsageUsually takes a direct object representing the person or group laughing.
“Over time, this process creates fractures, caves and sinkholes.”
“She also suffered a skull fracture and a large cut to the back of her head.”
From Middle English fracture, from Old French fracture, from Latin frāctūra (“a breach, fracture, cleft”), from frangere (“to break”), past participle frāctus, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰreg-, whence also English break. See fraction. Doublet of fraktur.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.