1. (n.) The act of breaking, or state of being broken, especially by violence.

2. (n.) A portion; a fragment.

3. (n.) One or more aliquot parts of a unit or whole number; an expression for a definite portion of a unit or magnitude.

4. (v. t.) 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 petroleum.