| 释义 |
comminution|kɒmɪˈnjuːʃən|
[f. L. type comminūtiōn-em, n. of action f. comminu-ĕre: see prec. Not recorded in class. Latin (which has minūtio, diminūtio).]
1. Reduction or breaking up into small fragments; pulverization, trituration.
1578Banister Hist. Man i. 13 Hardnes [of the teeth]..necessary to the Comminution of meate. 1691Ray Creation (1714) 28 In all sorts of serpents there is no Mastication or Comminution of the Meat. 1756C. Lucas Ess. Waters III. 33 The whole sulphur..suffers no change but comminution. 1878Bell Gegenbauer's Comp. Anat. 213 The organs for the comminution of the food.
b. Surg. Cf. comminuted 2.
1820Sir A. Cooper Surg. Ess. ii. (ed. 2) 138 Compound fracture of the thigh attended with considerable comminutions of the femur.
2. transf.
1751Johnson Rambler No. 108 ⁋4 This natural and necessary comminution of our lives. 1881Times 23 July 11/5 The perpetual comminution, not to say destruction, of personal influence by change of locality [in Wesleyanism].
3. Math. Proposed by De Morgan for ‘diminution (of two quantities) together without limit’: see comminuent. |