Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Refractory
1.
Obstinate in disobedience; contumacious; stubborn; unmanageable;
as, a
. refractory
child; a refractory
beastRaging appetites that are
Most disobedient and
Most disobedient and
refractory
. Shakespeare
2.
Resisting ordinary treatment; difficult of fusion, reduction, or the like; – said especially of metals and the like, which do not readily yield to heat, or to the hammer;
as, a
. refractory
ore
Syn. – Perverse; contumacious; unruly; stubborn; obstinate; unyielding; ungovernable; unmanageable.
Re-frac′to-ry
,Noun.
1.
A refractory person.
Bp. Hall.
2.
Refractoriness.
[Obs.]
Jer. TAylor.
3.
OPottery) A piece of ware covered with a vaporable flux and placed in a kiln, to communicate a glaze to the other articles.
Knight.
Webster 1828 Edition
Refractory
REFRACT'ORY
,Adj.
1.
Sullen or perverse in opposition or disobedience; obstinate in non-compliance; as a refractory child; a refractory servant.Raging appetites that are most disobedient and refractory.
2.
Unmanageable; obstinately unyielding; as a refractory beast.3.
Applied to metals, difficult of fusion; not easily yielding to the force of heat.REFRACT'ORY
, n.1.
A person obstinate in opposition or disobedience.2.
Obstinate opposition. [Not used.]Definition 2024
refractory
refractory
English
Adjective
refractory (comparative more refractory, superlative most refractory)
- Obstinate and unruly; strongly opposed to something.
- 1787, Alexander Hamilton, “No. 16”, in The Federalist, published 1863, page 103:
- […] in most instances attempts to coerce the refractory and disobedient have been the signals of bloody wars, […]
- 1836, Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, Chapter 26,
- Mr. Weller knocked at the door, and after a pretty long interval—occupied by the party without, in whistling a tune, and by the party within, in persuading a refractory flat candle to allow itself to be lighted […]
-
- Not affected by great heat.
- (medicine) Difficult to treat.
- 1949, Albert Fields and John Hoesley, "Neck and Shoulder Pain", Calif. Med., 70(6):478–482.,
- Many of the vague and refractory cases of neck and shoulder pain and of migraine may be due to cervical disc disease.
- 1990, H. A. Ring et al, "Vigabatrin: rational treatment for chronic epilepsy", J. Neurol. Neurosurg.Psychiatry, 53(12):1051–1055,
- In 33 adult patients with long standing refractory epilepsy on treatment with one or two standard anti-convulsant drugs,
- 1949, Albert Fields and John Hoesley, "Neck and Shoulder Pain", Calif. Med., 70(6):478–482.,
- (biology) Incapable of registering a reaction or stimulus.
- 1959, Nobusada Ishiko and Werner R. Loewenstein, "Electrical output of a receptor membrane", Science, 1959, 130:1405-6,
- The production of a generator potential leaves a refractory state in the receptor membrane […]
- 1970, S.S. Barold et al, "Chest wall stimulation in evaluation of patients with implanted ventricular-inhibited demand pacemakers", Br. Heart J., 32(6):783–789,
- The […] delivery of external stimuli […] delineates the pacemaker refractory period after the emission of a pacing stimulus and after the sensing of a spontaneous beat.
- 1959, Nobusada Ishiko and Werner R. Loewenstein, "Electrical output of a receptor membrane", Science, 1959, 130:1405-6,
Synonyms
Translations
Obstinate; strongly opposed
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not affected by great heat
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medicine: difficult to heal
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biology: incapable of registering a reaction or stimulus.
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Derived terms
Derived terms
Related terms
Noun
refractory (plural refractories)
- A material or piece of material, such as a brick, that has a very high melting point.
Translations
material with a high melting point
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