verb (used with object), di·vid·ed, di·vid·ing.
- to separate into parts, groups, sections, etc.
- to separate or part from something else; sunder; cut off.
- to deal out in parts; distribute in shares; apportion.
- to cleave; part.
- to separate in opinion or feeling; cause to disagree: The issue divided the senators.
- to distinguish the kinds of; classify.
- Mathematics.
- to separate into equal parts by the process of mathematical division; apply the mathematical process of division to: Eight divided by four is two.
- to be a divisor of, without a remainder.
- to mark a uniform scale on (a ruler, thermometer, etc.).
- British Government. to separate (a legislature, assembly, etc.) into two groups in ascertaining the vote on a question.
verb (used without object), di·vid·ed, di·vid·ing.
- to become divided or separated.
- to share something with others.
- to diverge; branch; fork: The road divides six miles from here.
- to perform the mathematical process of division: He could add and subtract but hadn’t learned to divide.
- British Government. to vote by separating into two groups.
noun
- a division: a divide in the road.
- Physical Geography. the line or zone of higher ground between two adjacent streams or drainage basins.
- Archaic. the act of dividing.
verb
- to separate or be separated into parts or groups; split up; part
- to share or be shared out in parts; distribute
- to diverge or cause to diverge in opinion or aimthe issue divided the management
- (tr) to keep apart or be a boundary betweenthe Rio Grande divides Mexico from the United States
- (intr) (in Parliament and similar legislatures) to vote by separating into two groups
- to categorize; classify
- to calculate the quotient of (one number or quantity) and (another number or quantity) by divisionto divide 50 by 10; to divide 10 into 50; to divide by 10
- (intr) to divergethe roads divide
- (tr) to mark increments of (length, angle, etc) as by use of an engraving machine
noun
- mainly US and Canadian an area of relatively high ground separating drainage basins; watershedSee also continental divide
- a division; split
early 14c., from Latin dividere “to force apart, cleave, distribute,” from dis- “apart” (see dis-) + -videre “to separate,” from PIE root *weidh- “to separate” (see widow; also see with).
Mathematical sense is from early 15c. Divide and rule (c.1600) translates Latin divide et impera, a maxim of Machiavelli. Related: Divided; dividing.
1640s, “act of dividing,” from divide (v.). Meaning “watershed, separation between river valleys” is first recorded 1807, American English.
v.
- To separate or become separated into parts, sections, groups, or branches.
- To sector into units of measurement; graduate.
- To separate and group according to kind; classify.
- To branch out, as a blood vessel.
- To undergo cell division.
- To subject (a number) to the process of division.
- To be a divisor of.
- To use (a number) as a divisor.
- To perform the operation of division.
- To undergo cell division.