prae-fringo, frēgi, fractum, 3, v. a. [frango],
I to break off before or at the end , to break to pieces , shiver (class.): ne caulis praefringatur, Cato R. R. 33 (cited by Plin. 17, 22, 35, § 20): hastas, Liv. 8, 10; so, primam aciem telo, to break off the point of the missile , Just. 6, 8, 2: cornu galeae, Liv. 27, 33: praefracto rostro (triremis), Caes. B. C. 2, 6: praefracta strigilis, Lucil. ap. Gell. 3, 14, 10: praefracta ligna, Lucr. 1, 892.
II —Hence, praefractus , a, um, P. a.
A In rhet., broken , abrupt : Thucydides praefractior, Cic. Or. 13, 40.—
B In character, stern , harsh , inflexible : Aristo Chius, praefractus, ferreus, Cic. Fragm. ap. Non. 155, 14: praefractior atque abscissior justitia, Val. Max. 6, 5 fin. : praefractius perseverantiae exemplum, sterner , firmer , id. 3, 8, ext. 3.—Adv.: praefractē , sternly , inflexibly , resolutely : aerarium defendere, Cic. Off. 3, 22, 88 ( Non. 155, 11, reads praefractum).— Comp. , Val. Max. 9, 7 fin.