I. frac ‧ ture 1 /ˈfræktʃə $ -ər/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
1 . if a bone or other hard substance fractures, or if it is fractured, it breaks or cracks:
The immense pressure causes the rock to fracture.
fracture your leg/arm/hip etc
He fractured his right leg during training.
2 . if a group, country etc fractures, or if it is fractured, it divides into parts in an unfriendly way because of disagreement SYN split :
The opposition has been fractured by bitter disputes.
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THESAURUS
■ to break something
▪ break verb [transitive] to damage something and make it separate into pieces, for example by dropping it or hitting it:
Careful you don’t break the chair.
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He broke his leg.
▪ smash verb [transitive] to break something with a lot of force:
A policeman smashed his camera.
▪ snap verb [transitive] to break something into two pieces, making a loud noise – used especially about long thin objects:
He snapped the sticks in two.
▪ split verb [transitive] to separate something into two pieces along a straight line:
Using a sharp knife, split the melon in half.
▪ fracture verb [transitive] to damage a bone, especially so that a line appears on the surface:
I fell over and fractured my wrist.
▪ tear /teə $ ter/ verb [transitive] to damage paper or cloth by pulling it so that it separates into pieces:
She tore up the letter and put it in the bin.
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I tore my jacket.
II. fracture 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: fractura , from fractus ; ⇨ ↑ fraction ]
a crack or broken part in a bone or other hard substance:
a stress fracture in his left knee
a hairline fracture (=very thin crack)
a fractured shoulder
⇨ ↑ compound fracture , ↑ simple fracture
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THESAURUS
▪ injury damage to part of your body caused by an accident or an attack:
The passengers were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
▪ wound an injury, especially a deep cut in your skin made by a knife, bullet, or bomb:
He died of a gunshot wound to the head.
▪ cut a small injury made when a sharp object cuts your skin:
Blood was running from a cut on his chin.
▪ bruise a dark mark on your skin that you get when you fall or get hit:
Jack often comes home from playing rugby covered in bruises.
▪ graze/scrape a small injury that marks your skin or breaks the surface slightly:
She fell off her bike and got a few grazes on her legs and knees.
▪ gash a long deep cut:
He had a deep gash across his forehead.
▪ bump an area of skin that is swollen because you have hit it against something:
How did you get that bump on your head?
▪ sprain an injury to your ↑ ankle , ↑ wrist , knee etc, caused by suddenly twisting it:
It’s a slight sprain – you should rest your ankle for a week.
▪ strain an injury to a muscle caused by stretching it or using it too much:
a muscle strain in his neck
▪ fracture a crack or broken part in a bone:
a hip fracture