Divide

v. t. [imp. & p. p. DIVIDED; p. pr. & vb. n. DIVIDING.] [Lat. dividere, from prefix di, for dis, and the root vid, to part, allied to vidua, widow, and to videre, to see; It. dividere, Pr., Sp., & Pg. dividir; Fr. diviser.] 1. To sever into parts or pieces; to separate; to sunder. 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. 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 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. Every family became now divided within itself. Prescott.

5. To separate into two parts, for ascertaining opinions for and against a measure; as, to divide a legislative house in voting.
6. (Logic.) To separate into species;—said of a genus or generic term.
7. (Mech.) To mark divisions on; to graduate; as, to divide a sextant.

Syn.—To sever; sunder; cleave; deal out; distribute; share.