fraction (frakshon)

[ Such public judgment in matters of opinion must be seldom,. for in matters speculative, as all determinations are fallible, so scarce any of them are to purpose, nor ever able to make compensation of either side, either for the public fraction , or the particular injustice. Jer. Taylor , Works (ed. 1835), II. 383. 2. Specifically ( eccles.), the liturgical act of breaking or dividing the eucharistic bread, or host. Four such fractions are found in different liturgies at different points in the office, but all do not occur in any one liturgy, namely: (1) A preparatory cutting or separation of portions at the beginning of the office or in the office of prothesis; (2) a breaking at the word "brake" ( fregit ) in the institution; (3) the solemn fraction after consecration and before communion; (4) a division for distribution among the communicants. The bread, when it is consecrated and made sacramental, 2357 (b) In alg., a ratio of algebraic quantities analogous to the arithmetical vulgar fraction, and similarly expre ed. - Astronomical or physical fraction, a fraction whose denominator is 60 or a power thereof: so called because angular degrees are so divided by astronomers, and lengths formerly were so also. - Continued fraction. See continued. - Convergent fraction. See convergent, n. - Decimal fraction. See dec i mal. - Rational fraction, a fraction whose numerator and denominator are rational; especially, one which can be resolved into a sum of two fractions of lower denominators.-Vanishing fraction, a fraction whose numerator and denominator are infinitesimal or vanishing together. Vulgar fraction. See def. 4 ( a ). fractional (frak's hon-al), a. [ So soon as the [colored] child is able to wield a hoe, he picking season quite a large fraction. is regarded a fractional field-hand, and during the cotton IMG:content-1783.png:[blocks in formation]