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Serving to break bones; bone-breaking.

Pelf; also, figuratively, rubbish; trash. [Obs.] Cranmer.

To bend sharply and abruptly back; to break off.

Capable of being refracted.

Bent backward angularly, as if half-broken; as, a refracted stem or leaf.

Serving or tending to refract; as, a refracting medium. Refracting angle of a prism (Opt.), the angle of a triangular prism included between the two sides through which the refracted beam passes in the decomposition of light. -- Refracting telescope. (Opt.) See under Telescope.

The act of refracting, or the state of being refracted.

Serving or having power to refract, or turn from a direct course; pertaining to refraction; as, refractive surfaces; refractive powers. Refractive index. (Opt.) See Index of refraction, under Index. -- Absolute refractive index (Opt.), the index of refraction of a substances when the ray passes into it from a vacuum.…

The quality or condition of being refractive.

A contrivance for exhibiting and measuring the refraction of light.

Anything that refracts; specifically: (Opt.)

In a refractory manner; perversely; obstinately.

The quality or condition of being refractory.

Obstinate in disobedience; contumacious; stubborn; unmanageable; as, a refractory child; a refractory beast. Raging appetites that are Most disobedient and refractory. Shak.

A second breaking (as of a badly set bone) by the surgeon.

Capable of being refuted; refutable. [R.] -- Ref"ra*ga*ble*ness, n. [R.] -- Ref`*ra*ga*bil"i*ty (-b, n. [R.]

To oppose. [R.] Glanvill.

hold back; to restrain; to keep within prescribed bounds; to curb; to govern. His reson refraineth not his foul delight or talent. Chaucer. Refrain thy foot from their path. Prov. i. 15.

One who refrains.

Act of refraining. [R.]