refractory

re·frac·to·ry

R0118800 (rĭ-frăk′tə-rē)adj.1. Showing or characterized by obstinate resistance to authority or control: refractory children; refractory behavior.2. Difficult to melt or work; resistant to heat: a refractory material such as silica.3. Resistant to treatment: a refractory case of acne.n. pl. re·frac·to·ries One that is refractory, especially a material that has a high melting point.

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[Alteration (influenced by adjectives in -ory) of obsolete refractary, from Latin refrāctārius, from refrāctus, past participle of refringere, to break up; see refract.]

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re·frac′to·ri·ly adv.re·frac′to·ri·ness n.

refractory

(rɪˈfræktərɪ) adj1. unmanageable or obstinate2. (Medicine) med not responding to treatment3. (General Physics) (of a material) able to withstand high temperatures without fusion or decompositionn, pl -ries (Elements & Compounds) a material, such as fire clay or alumina, that is able to withstand high temperatures: used to line furnaces, kilns, etc[C17: variant of obsolete refractary] reˈfractorily adv reˈfractoriness n

re•frac•to•ry

(rɪˈfræk tə ri)

adj., n., pl. -ries. adj. 1. hard or impossible to manage; stubbornly disobedient: a refractory child. 2. resisting ordinary methods of treatment. 3. difficult to fuse, reduce, or work, as an ore or metal. n. 4. a material that retains its shape and composition even when heated to extreme temperatures. 5. refractories, bricks of various shapes used in lining furnaces. [1600–10; variant of refractary < Latin refrāctārius stubborn]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	refractory - lining consisting of material with a high melting point; used to line the inside walls of a furnacefurnace lininglining, liner - a protective covering that protects an inside surfacefireclay - a heat-resistant clayalumina, aluminium oxide, aluminum oxide - any of various forms of aluminum oxide occurring naturally as corundum
Adj.	1.	refractory - not responding to treatment; "a stubborn infection"; "a refractory case of acne"; "stubborn rust stains"stubbornmedical specialty, medicine - the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniquesintractable - not tractable; difficult to manage or mold; "an intractable disposition"; "intractable pain"; "the most intractable issue of our era"; "intractable metal"
	2.	refractory - temporarily unresponsive or not fully responsive to nervous or sexual stimuli; "the refractory period of a muscle fiber"unresponsive - not responding to some influence or stimulus
	3.	refractory - stubbornly resistant to authority or control; "a fractious animal that would not submit to the harness"; "a refractory child"fractious, recalcitrantdisobedient - not obeying or complying with commands of those in authority; "disobedient children"

refractory

adjective unmanageable, difficult, stubborn, contentious, perverse, unruly, uncontrollable, intractable, wilful, recalcitrant, obstinate, headstrong, cantankerous, uncooperative, stiff-necked, disobedient, disputatious, mulish, contumacious refractory priests who tried to side with the king

refractory

adjectiveNot submitting to discipline or control:disorderly, fractious, indocile, intractable, lawless, obstinate, obstreperous, recalcitrant, uncontrollable, undisciplined, ungovernable, unmanageable, unruly, untoward, wild.Idiom: out of line.

Translations

réfractairerefrattariocaparbioostinato