Frac"tion (?), n. [F. fraction,
L. fractio a breaking, fr. frangere, fractum, to
break. See Break.] 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. A portion; a fragment.
Some niggard fractions of an hour.
Tennyson.
3. (Arith. or Alg.) One or more
aliquot parts of a unit or whole number; an expression for a definite
portion of a unit or magnitude.
Common, or Vulgar, 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 ½, one half, ⅖, two fifths. --
Complex fraction, a fraction having a fraction
or mixed number in the numerator or denominator, or in both.
Davies & Peck. -- Compound fraction, a
fraction of a fraction; two or more fractions connected by
of. -- Continued fraction,
Decimal fraction, Partial
fraction, etc. 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.
Frac"tion, v. t. (Chem.) 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.