Di*vide" , n. A dividing ridge of land
between the tributaries of two streams; a
watershed.
Di*vide" , v. i. 1. To
be separated; to part; to open;
to go asunder. Milton.
The Indo-Germanic family
divides into three
groups.
J. Peile.
2. To cause separation; to disunite.
A gulf, a strait, the
sea intervening between
islands, divide less
than the matted forest.
Bancroft. 3. To break friendship; to fall out. Shak.
4. To have a share; to partake. Shak.
5.
To vote, as in the British Parliament, by the members separating themselves
into two parties (as on opposite sides of the hall or in opposite lobbies), that is, the
ayes dividing from
the noes.
The emperors sat, voted, and divided with their equals.
Gibbon.
Di*vide" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Divided; p. pr. & vb.
n. Dividing.]
[L.
dividere, divisum; di- = dis- + root signifying to part; cf. Skr. vyadh
to pierce; perh. akin to L.
vidua widow, and E. widow. Cf. Device, Devise.]
1. To part
asunder (a whole); to sever into two or more
parts or pieces; to sunder; to separate into parts.
Divide the living child in two.
1 Kings iii. 25.
2. To cause to be separate; to keep apart by
a partition, or by an imaginary line or limit; as,
a wall divides two houses; a stream divides the
towns.
Let it divide the waters from the waters.
Gen. i. 6. 3. To make partition of among a number; to apportion, as profits of stock among proprietors; to give in shares; to distribute; to mete out; to share.
True justice
unto people to divide.
Spenser. Ye shall divide the land by lot.
Num. xxxiii. 54.
4. To disunite in opinion or interest; to make discordant or hostile; to set at variance.
If a kingdom
be divided against itself, that kingdom can not stand.
Mark iii.
24. Every family became now divided within itself.
Prescott. 5. To separate into two parts, in order to ascertain the votes for and against a measure; as, to divide a legislative house upon a
question.
6. (Math.) To subject to arithmetical division.
7. (Logic) To separate into species; - - said of a genus or generic term.
8. (Mech.)
To mark divisions on; to graduate; as, to divide a sextant.
9. (Music) To play or sing in a florid style, or with variations. [Obs.]
Spenser.
Syn. -- To sever; dissever; sunder; cleave; disjoin; disunite; detach; disconnect; part; distribute; share.
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