take apart

adverb

1. into pieces or parts; to pieces: to take a watch apart; an old barn falling apart from decay.
2. separately in place, time, motion, etc.: New York and Tokyo are thousands of miles apart. Our birthdays are three days apart.
3. to or at one side, with respect to place, purpose, or function: to put money apart for education; to keep apart from the group out of pride.
4. separately or individually in consideration: each factor viewed apart from the others.
5. aside (used with a gerund or noun): Joking apart, what do you think?

adjective

6. having independent or unique qualities, features, or characteristics (usually used following the noun it modifies): a class apart.

Verb Phrases

7. take apart,
   1. to disassemble: to take a clock apart.
   2. Informal.to criticize; attack: She was taken apart for her controversial stand.
   3. to subject to intense examination: He will take your feeble excuses apart.

Idioms

8. apart from, aside from; in addition to; besides: Apart from other considerations, time is a factor.

verb (tr, adverb)

1. to separate (something) into component parts
2. to criticize or punish severelythe reviewers took the new play apart

adjective, adverb (postpositive)

1. to pieces or in pieceshe had the television apart on the floor
2. placed or kept separately or to one side for a particular purpose, reason, etc; aside (esp in the phrases set or put apart)
3. separate in time, place, or position; at a distancehe stood apart from the group; two points three feet apart
4. not being taken into account; asidethese difficulties apart, the project ran smoothly
5. individual; distinct; separatea race apart
6. separately or independently in use, thought, or functionconsidered apart, his reasoning was faulty
7. apart from (preposition) besides; other than

adv.late 14c., from Old French à part “to the side,” from Latin ad “to” (see ad-) + partem, accusative of pars “a side” (see part (n.)). 1Dismantle or disassemble, as in They had to take apart the stereo before they could move it. This usage was first recorded in 1936. 2Examine thoroughly, analyze or dissect, as in The teacher embarrassed Tom by taking his thesis apart in front of the class. [Mid-1900s] 3Beat up, thrash, as in You’d better be careful; those boys will take you apart. [Slang; mid-1900s] In addition to the idiom beginning with apart

apart from

also see:

come apart

fall apart

pick apart

poles apart

set apart

take apart

tear apart

tell apart