Di-vôrce'1, n.
n. [Fr. divorce, Pr. divorsi, Sp. & Pg. divorcio, It. divorzio, Lat. divortium, from divor-tere, divertere, to turn different ways, to separate, from prefix di, for dis, and vortere, vertere, to turn. See DIVERT.]
Sense 1. (Law.) (a) A legal dissolution of the marriage contract by a court or other body having competent authority. This is properly a divorce, and called, technically, divorce a vinculo matrimonii—from the bands of matrimony. (b.) The separation of a married woman from the bed and board of her husband—a mensa et toro (from board and bed).
Sense 2. Separation; disunion of things closely united.
Dear divorce
’Twixt natural son and sire. Shak.
Sense 3. The sentence or writing by which marriage is dissolved.
Sense 4. The cause of any penal separation.
The long divorce of steel falls on me. Shak.