frango, frēgi, fractum, 3, v. a. [root in Gr. FPAT, ῥήγνυμι, ῥῆγμα, ῥωγαλέος; Goth. Brikkan; Irish brissim; Germ. brechen; Engl. break; but cf. Fick, Vergl. Wörterb. p. 182, and v. the letter F], to break, break in pieces, dash to pieces, shiver, break in two (cf.: rumpo, diffringo).
I Lit.: hastas frangit quatitque, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 3 (Ann. v. 435 ed. Vahl.); cf.: aes sonit, franguntur hastae, id. Fragm. ap. Non. 504, 33 (Trag. v. 213 ed. Vahl.): fraxinus frangitur atque abies consternitur alta, is broken , felled , id. ap. Macr. S. 6, 2 (Ann. v. 195 ed. Vahl.): simulacra, Lucr. 6, 419: milvo est quoddam bellum quasi naturale cum corvo: ergo alter alterius ubicumque nactus est ova, frangit, Cic. N. D. 2, 49, 125: anulus aureus fractus et comminatus est, id. Verr. 2, 4, 25, § 56: compluribus navibus fractis, dashed to pieces , Caes. B. G. 4, 29, 3: naves, Hor. A. P. 20: navem is fregit apud Andrum insulam, Ter. And. 222; cf. Auct. Her. 4, 44, 57: domus fracta conjectu lapidum, Cic. Att. 4, 3, 2: janua frangatur, latret canis, Hor. S. 1, 2, 128: patinam, id. ib. 2, 8, 72: lagenam, id. ib. 81: crystallina, Mart. 14, 111: aulas in caput, Plaut. Capt. 1, 1, 21: corpora ad saxum, Verg. A. 3, 625: vindices rerum capitalium laqueo gulam fregere, broke his neck , strangled him , Sall. C. 55, 5: cervices civium Romanorum in carcere, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 57, § 147; id. Vatin. 11, 26: senile guttur parentis impiā manu, Hor. Epod. 3, 2: cerebrum, Verg. A. 5, 413: brachium, Cic. de Or. 2, 62, 253; cf. coxam, Plin. Ep. 2, 1, 5: crus, Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 59: crura, Cic. Phil. 13, 12, 27; Suet. Aug. 67; id. Tib. 44; Vulg. Johan. 19, 31: cornu in arbore, Ov. F. 5, 121: non ego te, tigris ut aspera Gaetulusve leo, frangere persequor, to tear in pieces , Hor. C. 1, 23, 10; cf.: indomitos ut cum Massyla per arva Armenti reges magno leo fregit hiatu, etc., Stat. Th. 11, 28; Val. Fl. 2, 458; Plin. 8, 40, 61, § 150: nubes in montem actae non franguntur, sed circumfunduntur, Sen. Q. N. 2, 28, 2.—
B Transf., in gen., to break up small , to grind , bruise , crush (freq. since the Aug. per.): glebam bidentibus, Verg. G. 2, 400; glebas, id. ib. 3, 161: fruges robore saxi, Lucr. 1, 882: farra saxo, Val. Fl. 2, 448: hordeum molis, Plin. 18, 7, 14, § 72: granum dentibus, id. 18, 24, 54, § 196: fabam, id. 19, 3, 15, § 40: glandem (sues), Verg. G. 2, 72: testes homini, Plin. 11, 49, 110, § 263: toros, to press , throw one's self upon , Mart. 2, 59, 3; 4, 8, 6: comam in gradus, to twist , braid , Quint. 1, 6, 44: mare montis ad ejus Radices frangit fluctus, breaks , Lucr. 6, 695; cf.: quam (fortunam) existimo levem et imbecillam ab animo firmo et gravi tamquam fluctum a saxo frangi oportere, Cic. Fam. 9, 16, 6: fluctus (scopulus), Luc. 6, 266: undam, Ov. F. 4, 282: aquas, Quint. 9, 4, 7: amnem nando, Luc. 8, 374; cf. Sil. 3, 457; 8, 555: iter, i. e. turn off from it , Stat. Th. 12, 232.
II Trop., to break down , subdue , weaken , diminish , violate; to soften , move , touch : quem (Viriathum) C. Laelius praetor ita fregit et comminuit ferocitatemque ejus ita repressit, ut, etc., broke down , subdued , Cic. Off. 2, 11 fin. ; cf.: fractam illam et debilitatam vim suam, etc., id. Fam. 1, 9, 2: quem series immensa laborum fregerit, Ov. H. 9, 6: nationes frangere domareque, Cic. Prov. Cons. 13, 33: proeliis calamitatibusque fracti, Caes. B. G. 1, 31, 7: victi sumus igitur, aut, si vinci dignitas non potest, fracti certe et abjecti, Cic. Fam. 4, 7, 2: te ut ulla res frangat? would break , shake thy resolution , id. Cat. 1, 9, 22; cf.: frangi metu, cupiditate, id. Off. 1, 20, 68: fractus ac debilitatus metu, id. de Or. 1, 26, 121: flecti animo atque frangi, id. Sull. 6, 18: frangi animo, id. Phil. 2, 15, 37: dolore, id. Fin. 2, 29, 95: misericordiā, id. Att. 7, 12, 3: pudore, id. Tusc. 2, 21, 48 et simil.; cf. also: aliquem auctoritate, id. ib. 1, 21 fin. : aliquem patientiā, id. Brut. 25, 95: quae (vis) summas frangit infirmatque opes, Poët. ap. Cic. Rab. Post. 10, 28: debilitatur ac frangitur eloquentia, Tac. Dial. 39: mollis illa educatio, quam indulgentiam vocamus, nervos omnes et mentis et corporis frangit, Quint. 1, 2, 6: frangitur vox, id. 11, 3, 20; cf. id. 12, 11, 2: vox Auditur fractos sonitus imitata tubarum, Verg. G. 4, 72: et illa (littera), quae est sexta nostrarum (i. e. F) quoties aliquam consonantem frangit, ut in hoc ipso frangit, multo fit horridior, i. e. weakens , Quint. 12, 10, 29 Spald. (v. the passage in its connection); cf. id. 1, 4, 11: primum divisit ineleganter: duo enim genera quae erant, fecit tria: hoc est non dividere, sed frangere, Cic. Fin. 2, 9, 26; cf.: frangas citius quam corrigas, quae in pravum induruerunt, Quint. 1, 3, 12: bellum proeliis frangere, Cic. Prov. Cons. 13, 32: dignitatem, id. Fam. 9, 16, 6: hunc (pedum dolorem) abstinentiā, sanctitate vicit et fregit, Plin. Ep. 1, 12, 5: ut equorum cursum delicati minutis passibus frangunt, Quint. 9, 4, 113: animos frangi et debilitari molestiā, Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 1, § 2: ingenium (mala), Ov. Tr. 3, 14, 33: sublimia pectora (Venus et vinum), id. F. 1, 301: ego unus contudi et fregi exsultantis praedonis audaciam, Cic. Phil. 13, 13 fin. ; cf. id. Fragm. ap. Non. 301, 8 ( id. Rep. 3, 36 ed. Mos.): furorem et petulantiam alicujus, id. Pis. 14, 31: libidines, id. Leg. 3, 13, 31: odium iramque (risus), Quint. 6, 3, 9: impetum cogitationis (membranae), id. 10, 3, 31: consilium alicujus, Cic. Fam. 4, 4, 4; cf.: sententiam alicujus, id. ib. 1, 4, 1: foedus, id. Pis. 12, 28; id. Scaur. 42: fidem, id. Rosc. Com. 6, 16: jura pudicitiae, Prop. 4 (5), 5, 28: mandata, Hor. Ep. 1, 13, 19: fas, Grat. Cyneg. 451: morantem diem mero (= breviorem reddere), to shorten , Hor. C. 2, 7, 6: vina, i. e. to weaken , dilute , Mart. 14, 103; Plin. 14, 22, 28, § 138: cum frangerem jam ipse me cogeremque illa ferre toleranter, Cic. Fam. 4, 6, 2: nec animus tantis se laboribus frangeret, neque, etc., id. Arch. 11, 29: ante quam calores aut frigora se fregerunt, diminished , abated , Varr. R. R. 2, 2, 18; cf.: Scaevola paulum quiescet, dum se calor frangat, Cic. de Or. 1, 62, 265: fracti aestus et nondum orta frigora, Cels. 7, 7, 4 fin. ; cf.: fluctus se frangit, Sen. Med. 392: glacies se frangit, id. Q. N. 4, 5, 4.
IV —Hence, fractus , a, um, P. a., weakened , weak , feeble , faint : jamque adeo fracta est aetas effetaque tellus Vix animalia parva creat, Lucr. 2, 1151: quod me audis fractiorem esse animo, i. e. more disheartened , less courageous , Cic. Att. 11, 12, 4; cf.: spes amplificandae fortunae fractior, id. Lael. 16, 59: in compositione fractus, powerless , feeble , Quint. 12, 10, 12; cf.: quid est tam fractum, tam minutum, tam in ipsa concinnitate puerile? Cic. Brut. 83, 287; and: corruptum et omnibus vitiis fractum dicendi genus, Quint. 10, 1, 125: corrupta oratio maxime comprehensione obscura, compositione fracta consistit, id. 8, 3, 57: effeminata et fracta impudicis modis (musice), id. 1, 10, 31.