frag·ment

noun

/ˈfræɡmənt/

a small part of something that has broken off or comes from something larger碎片；零块
- fragment (of something) Police found fragments of glass near the scene.警方在现场附近发现了玻璃碎片。
- in fragments The shattered vase lay in fragments on the floor.打碎的花瓶在地上成了一堆碎片。
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
Fragment is used after these nouns:
rock
shell
fragment (of something) a single part of something; a part that is not complete片段；部分
- I overheard a fragment of their conversation.我无意中听到他们谈话的片段。
- She could recall only fragments of his poetry.她只能记得他的诗的片段。

Word Originlate Middle English: from French, or from Latin fragmentum, from frangere ‘to break’.

verb

/fræɡˈment/

/ˈfræɡment/

[intransitive, transitive]

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they fragment	/fræɡˈment/ /ˈfræɡment/
he / she / it fragments	/fræɡˈments/ /ˈfræɡments/
past simple fragmented	/fræɡˈmentɪd/ /ˈfræɡmentɪd/
past participle fragmented	/fræɡˈmentɪd/ /ˈfræɡmentɪd/
-ing form fragmenting	/fræɡˈmentɪŋ/ /ˈfræɡmentɪŋ/

fragment (something) to break or make something break into small pieces or parts（使）碎裂，破裂，分裂
- Frequent explosions caused the chalk to fragment.频繁的爆炸导致粉笔碎裂。
- The dangers of fragmenting the health service.医疗保健服务破裂的危险
Word Originlate Middle English: from French, or from Latin fragmentum, from frangere ‘to break’.