different between refractory vs headstrong

English

Etymology

From Latin refract?rius (“obstinate”), from refractus, past participle of refringere (“to break up”). Originally refractary, refractarie, but reanalysed after other adjectives in -ory.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /???f?æk.t??.i/
• Rhymes: -ækt??i

Adjective

refractory (comparative more refractory, superlative most refractory)

1. Obstinate and unruly; strongly opposed to something.

   Synonyms: (inanimates) contrary, fractious; see also Thesaurus:obstinate

   • 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 […]

   • 1913 Eleanor Porter: Pollyanna: Chapter 8:

     For five minutes Pollyanna worked swiftly, deftly, combing a refractory curl into fluffiness, perking up a drooping ruffle at the neck, or shaking a pillow into plumpness so that the head might have a better pose. Meanwhile the sick woman, frowning prodigiously, and openly scoffing at the whole procedure, was, in spite of herself, beginning to tingle with a feeling perilously near to excitement.

3. Not affected by great heat.

   Synonyms: heat-resistant, fireproof
4. (medicine) Difficult to treat.
   • 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.

   • 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,

5. (biology) Incapable of registering a reaction or stimulus.
   • 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 […]

   • 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.

Derived terms

Related terms

• refractive
• refraction

Translations

Noun

refractory (plural refractories)

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

Translations

Further reading

• refractory at OneLook Dictionary Search

English

Etymology

From Middle English heedstrong, equivalent to head +? strong.

Pronunciation

Adjective

headstrong (comparative more headstrong, superlative most headstrong)

1. Determined to do as one pleases, and not as others want.

   He was in that headstrong teenage phase when he felt like he knew everything.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:obstinate

Derived terms

• headstrongly
• headstrongness

Translations