fractured
/ˈfræk.tʃər/ (bre, ipa) · [frˈæktʃɚd] /ˈfræk.tʃɚ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfræktʃəd/ (bre, ipa) · [frˈæktʃɚd] /ˈfræktʃərd/ (ame, ipa) · [frˈæktʃɚd] /ˈfrak-chərd -shərd/ (ame, mw)
fractured — verb
- fracturedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- fractureds3rd person singular
- fractureding-ing form
- fracturededpast simple
1. When a hard thing like a bone, piece of glass, or stone fractures, it breaks or
When a hard thing like a bone, piece of glass, or stone fractures, it breaks or develops a crack, usually without coming apart into pieces.
Yael fractured her left wrist when she slipped on an icy sidewalk.
transitive: fracture + body part (wrist)
The old wooden beam fractured under the weight of the heavy snow.
Doctors confirmed that he had fractured two ribs in the car crash.
The frozen water pipe fractured during the coldest night of winter.
A piece of the marble floor fractured when the piano was dropped on it.
文法句型
fracture + noun phrase (transitive)
fracture (no object — intransitive)
用法筆記
Frequently used in medical contexts. The subject is often a body part (bone, wrist, skull) or a hard material. Can be used transitively (She fractured her arm) or intransitively (The bone fractured).
常見錯誤
2. When a group, organization, or community fractures, it breaks apart into opposin
When a group, organization, or community fractures, it breaks apart into opposing groups that can no longer work well together.
The debate over education funding fractured the school board into two rival camps.
transitive: fracture [group] + into [factions]
The trade dispute fractured the alliance among the four neighboring countries.
Religious differences fractured the community, creating lasting distrust between families.
The company's leadership fractured after the CEO announced a sudden resignation.
When the party fractured over tax policy, three new political groups were formed.
文法句型
fracture + noun phrase (transitive)
fracture into + [parts] (intransitive)
用法筆記
Subject is typically an organization, society, community, or group. Often used with 'over' to state the cause of division (fractured over tax policy) or 'into' to describe the resulting pieces (fractured into rival groups).
常見錯誤
fractured — adjective
- fracturedpositive
- more fracturedcomparative
- most fracturedsuperlative
1. Describes a hard object like bone, glass, or rock that has a break or fracture l
Describes a hard object like bone, glass, or rock that has a break or fracture line in its surface.
The hospital admitted three patients with fractured bones from the bus crash.
collocation: fractured + bones
A fractured rib can make breathing deeply very painful for several weeks.
collocation: fractured + rib
The climber noticed a fractured rock face above the narrow mountain path.
Engineers inspected the building's fractured concrete supports after the earthquake.
The doctor showed Tariq the X-ray of his fractured ankle and explained the treatment.
文法句型
fractured + noun phrase
be + fractured
用法筆記
Common with nouns for body parts (bone, rib, wrist, ankle, skull) and building materials (concrete, rock, glass). Can appear both before a noun (a fractured wrist) and after a linking verb (his wrist was fractured).
常見錯誤
2. Describes an organization, society, or system that has split into separate parts
Describes an organization, society, or system that has split into separate parts and can no longer work as one whole.
The fractured opposition parties could not agree on a single candidate.
fractured + [political group]
A fractured management team cannot guide a company through a difficult crisis.
The peace agreement collapsed because of the fractured trust between the two nations.
Citizens grew frustrated with their fractured government and demanded new elections.
The fractured music group split up after their lead singer moved to another band.
- divided
less severe; a divided group may still function
- split
suggests a clear break into opposing sides
- fragmented
implies breaking into many small, weak pieces
文法句型
fractured + noun phrase
be + fractured
用法筆記
Typically modifies abstract nouns such as government, society, community, party, relationship, or trust. Not used for physical objects (use sense adj/1 instead).
常見錯誤
3. Describes language that is spoken with difficulty, containing pauses and errors,
Describes language that is spoken with difficulty, containing pauses and errors, often because the speaker has not learned the language well.
The tourist asked for a hotel room in fractured but very polite Japanese.
fractured + but + [adjective] + [language name]
Nala explained her situation in fractured Spanish, mixing in some hand gestures.
The old man spoke in fractured English, but the children understood him well.
His fractured Cantonese was enough to order food at the local market.
A reporter wrote down the survivor's fractured account of the disaster.
文法句型
fractured + language name
fractured + speech/narrative
用法筆記
Typically used before names of languages (fractured English, fractured French) or nouns describing speech (account, words, narrative). Not used for writing unless the text deliberately mimics broken speech.