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n. 1. A small part broken off or detached. 2. An incomplete or isolated portion; a bit: overheard fragments of their conversation; extant fragments of an old manuscript. 3. Grammar A sentence fragment. v. (-mĕnt′) frag·ment·ed, frag·ment·ing, frag·ments v.tr. To break or separate (something) into fragments. v.intr. To become broken into fragments: After the election, the coalition fragmented. [Middle English, from Latin fragmentum, from frangere, frag-, to break; see bhreg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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