Re-frāct′, v. t.

v. t. [imp. & p. p. REFRACTED; p. pr. & vb. n. REFRACTING.] [Lat. refringere, refractum, from re, again, back, and frangere, to break; Fr. réfracter, Sp. refringir, It. rifrangere, rifragnere, Pr. refranher.]

1. To bend sharply and abruptly back; to break off.
2. (Opt.) To break the natural course of, as rays of light; to cause to deviate from a direct course; as, a dense medium refracts the rays of light as they pass into it from a rare medium.