fracture

/'fræktʃə/

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Explanation of the Word "Fracture"

Part of Speech: Noun and Verb

Usage Instructions:

• Use "fracture" as a noun when talking about the result of breaking something.
• Use "fracture" as a verb when describing the action of breaking something.

Examples:

• Noun: "She suffered a fracture in her arm after the fall."
• Verb: "He fractured his leg while skiing."

Advanced Usage:

• In geology, "fracture" refers to a break in the Earth’s crust, often associated with movements of tectonic plates. This can lead to earthquakes.
• In a political context, to "fracture the balance of power" means to disturb or disrupt the existing distribution of power among groups.

Word Variants:

• Fractured (adjective): Describing something that has been broken. Example: "The fractured bone needed surgery."
• Fracturing (verb): The present participle form used to describe the action of breaking. Example: "She is fracturing the chocolate to make cookies."

Different Meanings:

1. Medical: Referring specifically to a break in a bone.
2. Geological: Referring to a crack in the earth’s surface.
3. Figurative: Can refer to something that is broken or damaged in a non-physical sense, like a relationship or a system.

Synonyms:

• Noun: Break, crack, rupture
• Verb: Break, shatter, split

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• Break the ice: To initiate conversation in a social setting. (Not directly related but uses "break" in a figurative sense.)
• Fractured relationship: A relationship that has been damaged or broken.

Conclusion:

"Fracture" is a versatile word used in various contexts, from medicine to geology to everyday language.

Academic

Noun

1. the act of cracking something
2. (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
   • he studied the faulting of the earth's crust
3. breaking of hard tissue such as bone
   • it was a nasty fracture
   • the break seems to have been caused by a fall

Verb

1. fracture a bone of
   • I broke my foot while playing hockey
2. break (a bone)
   • She broke her clavicle
3. become fractured
   • The tibia fractured from the blow of the iron pipe
4. break into pieces
   • The pothole fractured a bolt on the axle
5. interrupt, break, or destroy
   • fracture the balance of power
6. violate or abuse
   • This writer really fractures the language

Synonyms

• crack
• cracking
• fault
• faulting
• geological fault
• shift
• break