refringō frēgī, frāctus, ere re-+frango, to break up, break open: portas, Cs.: claustra: carcerem, L.: totas refringere vestīs, tear off, O.: (ramum) cunctantem, break off, V.

—Fig., to break, break down, check, destroy: vim fluminis, Cs.: ubi (fortuna) vim suam refringi non volt, L.: impotentem dominationem, N.: Archivos, H.