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Definition of fracture noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

fracture

noun
 
/ˈfræktʃə(r)/
 
/ˈfræktʃər/
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  1. [countable] a break in a bone or other hard material
    • a fracture of the leg/skull
    • a compound/simple fracture (= one in which the broken bone comes/does not come through the skin)
    • Cracks and fractures are appearing in the ancient wall.
    see also compound fracture, greenstick fracture, simple fracture
    Collocations InjuriesInjuriesBeing injured
    • have a fall/​an injury
    • receive/​suffer/​sustain a serious injury/​a hairline fracture/(especially British English) whiplash/​a gunshot wound
    • hurt/​injure your ankle/​back/​leg
    • damage the brain/​an ankle ligament/​your liver/​the optic nerve/​the skin
    • pull/​strain/​tear a hamstring/​ligament/​muscle/​tendon
    • sprain/​twist your ankle/​wrist
    • break a bone/​your collarbone/​your leg/​three ribs
    • fracture/​crack your skull
    • break/​chip/​knock out/​lose a tooth
    • burst/​perforate your eardrum
    • dislocate your finger/​hip/​jaw/​shoulder
    • bruise/​cut/​graze your arm/​knee/​shoulder
    • burn/​scald yourself/​your tongue
    • bang/​bump/​hit/ (informal) bash your elbow/​head/​knee (on/​against something)
    Treating injuries
    • treat somebody for burns/​a head injury/​a stab wound
    • examine/​clean/​dress/​bandage/​treat a bullet wound
    • repair a damaged/​torn ligament/​tendon/​cartilage
    • amputate/​cut off an arm/​a finger/​a foot/​a leg/​a limb
    • put on/ (formal) apply/​take off (especially North American English) a Band-Aid™/(British English) a plaster/​a bandage
    • need/​require/​put in/ (especially British English) have (out)/ (North American English) get (out) stitches
    • put on/​rub on/ (formal) apply cream/​ointment/​lotion
    • have/​receive/​undergo (British English) physiotherapy/(North American English) physical therapy
    Extra Examples
    • A security guard suffered a hairline fracture of the skull.
    • She sustained two fractures to her leg.
    Topics Health problemsc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • stress
    • hairline
    • compound
    verb + fracture
    • suffer
    • sustain
    See full entry
  2. [uncountable] the fact of something breaking, especially a bone
    • Old people's bones are more prone to fracture.
    • Research has shown that hormone replacement therapy can reduce the risk of fracture by 50 to 60 per cent.
    • Ground movements could cause fracture of the pipe.
  3. Word Originlate Middle English: from French, or from Latin fractura, from frangere ‘to break’.
See fracture in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee fracture in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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