fracture

noun

/ˈfræktʃə(r)/

/ˈfræktʃər/

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[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
Wordfinder
- bandage
- bleed
- bruise
- fracture
- hurt
- injury
- plaster
- sore
- swell
- wound
Collocations Injuries
InjuriesBeing 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 Illnessc1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- stress
- hairline
- compound
- …
verb + fracture
- suffer
- sustain
See full entry
[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.

Word Originlate Middle English: from French, or from Latin fractura, from frangere ‘to break’.

fracture

verb

/ˈfræktʃə(r)/

/ˈfræktʃər/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they fracture	/ˈfræktʃə(r)/ /ˈfræktʃər/
he / she / it fractures	/ˈfræktʃəz/ /ˈfræktʃərz/
past simple fractured	/ˈfræktʃəd/ /ˈfræktʃərd/
past participle fractured	/ˈfræktʃəd/ /ˈfræktʃərd/
-ing form fracturing	/ˈfræktʃərɪŋ/ /ˈfræktʃərɪŋ/

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[intransitive, transitive] to break or crack; to make something break or crack
- His leg fractured in two places.
- Cast iron is not only heavy, but likely to fracture.
- fracture something She fell and fractured her skull.
Topics Illnessc1
[intransitive, transitive] (formal) (of a society, an organization, etc.) to split into several parts so that it no longer functions or exists; to split a society or an organization, etc. in this way
- Many people predicted that the party would fracture and split.
- fracture something (into something) The company was fractured into several smaller groups.

Word Originlate Middle English: from French, or from Latin fractura, from frangere ‘to break’.