rē̆-fringo, frēgi, fractum, 3, v. a. [frango], to break up, break open (class.; syn.: perfringo, dissicio).
I Lit.: cellas, Plaut. Capt. 4, 4, 10: postes portasque, Enn. ap. Serv. ad Verg. A. 7, 622, and ap. Hor. S. 1, 4, 61 (Ann. v. 271 Vahl.); Caes. B. G. 2, 33; Liv. 10, 43; 24, 30; 25, 9 et saep. al.: januam, Tac. A. 14, 8: palatii fores, id. H. 1, 35: claustra, Cic. Mur. 8, 17; Val. Fl. 1, 595: carcerem, Liv. 34, 44 fin. : glaebam et revolvere in pulverem, Col. 11, 2, 60: totas refringere vestes, to tear open , Ov. M. 9, 208: radium solis refringi, is refracted , Plin. 2, 59, 60, § 150.—
B In gen., to break , break in pieces , break off (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): quae demersa liquore obeunt, refracta videntur Omnia convorti sursumque supina revorti, Lucr. 4, 440: refringit virgulta pede vago, Cat. 63, 86: ramum, to break off , * Verg. A. 6, 210; so, mucronem, Plin. 8, 15, 17, § 41; cf. aculeos, Plin. Ep. 3, 15, 3: silvas (Hyleus), Stat. Th. 4, 139. —
II Trop., to break , break in pieces , check , weaken , destroy , etc.: vim fluminis, Caes. B. G. 7, 56; cf. Liv. 5, 37: impotentem dominationem, Nep. Lys. 1, 4; cf.: Teutonicas opes, Frop. 3, 3 (4, 2), 44: nec Priami domus Achivos refringit, Hor. C. 3, 3, 28: ingeniorum impetus, Plin. Ep. 9, 26, 7: claustra pudoris et reverentiae, id. ib. 2, 14, 4: verba, to mutilate or mangle speech , like children, Stat. S. 2, 1, 123.