Refractory

Adjective

 * 1) Obstinate and unruly; strongly opposed to something.
 * 2) * 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
 * 1) Not affected by great heat.
 * 2)  Difficult to treat.
 * 3) * 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.
 * 1) * 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,
 * 1)  Incapable of registering a reaction or stimulus.
 * 2) * 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
 * 1) * 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.
 * 1) * 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.

Synonyms

 * contrary, fractious

Noun

 * 1) A material or piece of material, such as a brick, that has a very high melting point.

Adverbs for Refractory
hopelessly; uncommonly; highly; remarkably; incredibly; incomparably; unmanageably; stubbornly; doggedly; mulishly; obstinately; obdurately; contumaciously; naturally; incorrigibly; desperately; uncontrollably; stiffly; perversely; disobediently; impertinently; mischievously; vexatiously; intolerably; inscrutably; inexplicably; unreasonably; embarrassingly; atrociously.

Thesaurus
adversary, adversative, adverse, alien, antagonistic, anti, antipathetic, antithetic, at odds, averse, beyond control, breachy, bullheaded, china, clashing, clay, competitive, complaining, con, conflicting, contradictory, contrary, contumacious, counter, cross, cursory, defiant, deviant, differing, disaccordant, disagreeing, disinclined, disobedient, disputatious, disputing, dissentient, dissenting, dissident, enamel, enemy, forced, fractious, headstrong, hostile, impatient of control, incorrigible, indisposed, indocile, indomitable, inimical, insuppressible, intractable, involuntary, irrepressible, mulish, mutinous, negative, nonconformable, nonconforming, noncooperative, nonobservant, objecting, obstinate, obstreperous, obstructive, on the barricades, opponent, opposed, opposing, opposite, oppositional, oppositive, oppugnant, ornery, out of hand, overthwart, perfunctory, perverse, porcelain, proof against, protesting, rebellious, recalcitrant, recusant, reluctant, renitent, repellent, repugnant, resistant, resisting, resistive, restive, retardant, retardative, rival, self-willed, shrewish, stiff-necked, stubborn, sulky, sullen, unadaptable, unadjustable, unbiddable, uncompliant, unconforming, unconsenting, uncontrollable, uncooperative, unfavorable, unfriendly, ungovernable, unmalleable, unmanageable, unmoldable, unpropitious, unruly, unsubmissive, unwilling, unyielding, up in arms, wild, withstanding

Etymology
From refractarius:, from refractus:, past participle of refringere:. Originally refractary: reanalysed after other adjectives in -ory:

Adjective

 * Finnish:, ,
 * French:


 * Greek:, ,


 * Finnish: ,
 * French: réfractaire


 * Greek: ,
 * Italian:


 * Finnish:, ,


 * Greek: ,

Derived terms

 * refractorily
 * refractoriness
 * refractory period

Related terms

 * refractive
 * refraction

Noun

 * Greek: πυρίμαχος


 * Italian: