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Entry 4 senses · 2 variants Webster, 1913

Fraction

/frăkʹshən/ · Frac·tion · IPA /ˈfɹæk.ʃən/
01 n. The act of breaking, or state of being broken, especially by violence.
  1. 1.
    The act of breaking, or state of being broken, especially by violence.[Obs.]
    “Neither can the natural body of Christ be subject to any fraction or breaking up.” — Foxe.
  2. 2.
    A portion; a fragment.
    “Some niggard fractions of an hour.” — Tennyson.
  3. 3.
    One or more aliquot parts of a unit or whole number; an expression for a definite portion of a unit or magnitude.(Arith. or Alg.)
Phrases & compounds
Common fraction — a fraction in which the number of equal parts into which the integer is supposed to be divided is indicated by figures or letters, called the denominator, written below a line, over which is the numerator, indicating the number of these parts included in the fraction; as <frac:1_2/, one half, <frac:2_5/, two fifths.
Complex fraction — a fraction having a fraction or mixed number in the numerator or denominator, or in both.
Compound fraction — a fraction of a fraction; two or more fractions connected by of.
Continued fraction — See under Continued, Decimal, Partial, etc.
Improper fraction — a fraction in which the numerator is greater than the denominator.
Proper fraction — a fraction in which the numerator is less than the denominator.
02 v. t. To separate by means of, or to subject to, fractional distillation or crystallization; to fractionate; -- frequently used with out; as, to …
  1. 1.
    To separate by means of, or to subject to, fractional distillation or crystallization; to fractionate; -- frequently used with out; as, to fraction out a certain grade of oil from pretroleum.(Chem.)