I. ˈsplit, usu -id.+V verb
( split or archaic splitted ; split or archaic splitted ; splitting ; splits )
Etymology: Dutch splitten, from Middle Dutch; akin to Middle Low German splīten to split, slit, Middle High German slīzen, Old Frisian splīta to slit, Old High German spaltan to split — more at spill
transitive verb
1.
a. : to divide or separate from end to end or in a lengthwise direction especially sharply or suddenly or with force by cleaving or forcing apart usually along a grain or a seam or by separating layers
split a board
split leather
split logs for firewood
shock split the wall along a stud
his trousers had been split down one leg
girls come down to split , clean, and pack the fish in barrels — Richard Joseph
how to split clams on rocks — J.H.Wheelock
split open a roll and butter it
split a few sticks of kindling
as
(1) : to cause (a sail) to tear or rip
a mainsail split by a gale
: have (a sail) torn
split our mainsail in the storm
(2) : to plough (a ridge) so as to cast the earth outward
the ridges were split over the potatoes — Adrian Bell
(3) : to divide (a pillar or post in a coal mine) by one or more roads
(4) : to take (a rope) apart by separating the strands
(5) : to cut (corrugated glass) to a desired width
b. : to affect as if by cleaving or forcing apart
the whole plain … is gashed and torn and mauled and split — Thomas Wood †1950
first bass of the season split the surface — Gertrude Schweitzer
his face split by a huge yawn — John Wain
the river splits the town in two
gorges which split the divide — R.L.Neuberger
cloud was split with a flash of flame — R.H.Davis
2.
a.
(1) : to break up
the wreck of a ship split upon a reef
(2) : to tear or rend apart : burst , rupture
warehouses splitting their sides with plunder — F.G.Slaughter
(3) : to subject (an atom or atomic nucleus) to artificial disintegration especially by fission
b. : to affect as if by breaking up or tearing apart : rend , shatter
a roar that split the air
series of explosives split our ears — J.B.Shaw
: disorder , disintegrate
mind is finally split asunder by her abnormal sexual jealousy — Saturday Review
3. : to divide or separate into distinct parts or portions
splitting the county into twenty-nine … rationing districts — Hal Burton
scouts had been split into small detachments — Georg Meyers
ornithologists have split these again into four more subspecies — Douglas Carruthers
— often used with up
splitting up the main colors into variants — C.W.H.Johnson
as
a. : to divide between two or more persons : share
split the loot
split up the cost
split the physics prize three ways
split a bottle of wine at dinner
this pernicious practice of splitting fees — Time
a man has a right to split his inheritance — Edward Sapir
split the pot at poker
b. : to divide into opposing factions, parties, or groups
the solid South was split by internal revolt
the issue split the village down the middle
his candidacy split the labor vote
c. : to mark (a ballot) or otherwise cast or register (a vote) so as to vote for candidates of different parties
usually split his ticket in national elections
d. : to divide (an air current) into separate currents (as in mine ventilation)
e. : to separate or break down (a chemical compound) into constituents : effect the cleavage of (as by hydrolysis) : crack I 8
split a fat into glycerol and fatty acids
— sometimes used with up
f. : to remove by such separation — usually used with off or out
split off carbon dioxide
g. : to divide (the stock of a corporation) by issuing a larger number of shares to existing shareholders usually without increase in aggregate par value of capitalization for corporations with par value stock
h. : to win and lose an equal number of (as games or contests)
split a doubleheader
split the first four games
i. : to discard (one pair from a two-pair hand or one card of a pair) in draw poker to increase one's chance of improving the hand in the draw
j. : to bisect (a stamp) especially into more than two pieces
4. : to separate (the parts of a whole) by interposing something
split an infinitive
split the defense in hockey
5. slang : to reveal (as information, secrets) intentionally or unintentionally : betray
6. : to dilute (liquor) by adding water or a nonalcoholic liquid : cut
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to become divided or separated (as by cleaving, tearing) part from part or from end to end or in a lengthwise direction usually along a grain or a seam or by the separating of layers
the board split while he was driving the nail
his coat had split at the seams
fingernails showed a tendency to split
this wood splits easily
sails split in the storm
b. : to break apart or into pieces : break up
ship splits on the rock — Shakespeare
: burst , rupture
the jar split when the water froze
fruit falls to the ground and splits open
c.
(1) : to part or open as if forced or torn apart by splitting
the sky suddenly split open in a flash of lightning
his face split into a wide grin
(2) : to burst with laughter
thought he would split
2.
a.
(1) : to become divided up or separated off (as into parts, groups, parties, factions)
stream splits into numerous channels — G.R.Stewart
— often used with up
splitting up of a language into a number of dialects — Edward Sapir
the group split up into two teams
(2) : to break up into divergent or opposing groups
began to split into left and right wings and then into smaller groupings — William Petersen
court split four and four
criticism, like religion, inevitably splits into sects and schisms — C.I.Glicksberg
split into dissident groups — H.J.Laski
(3) of a suit of cards : to become divided evenly or as nearly so as possible
b. : to sever relations or connections especially because of disagreement : separate
split after six years of marriage
— often used with with
had split with most of his former friends
or with from
caused such a furore by taking in a Negro and splitting from the national body — Cleveland Amory
3. : to go very fast especially at a run
4. slang : to betray confidence : let out a secret : act as an informer
promised not to split
— often used with on
on the point of splitting on the gang — Dorothy Sayers
5. : to split one's vote
6. : to apportion shares
we all split equal and that was that — W.L.Gresham
— often used with with
said he would split with the others
unwilling to split with anyone else
7. : to turn up in a split — used of two cards of the same denomination dealt in faro
Synonyms: see tear
•
- split hairs
- split one's sides
- split openers
- split straws
- split tacks
- split the difference
II. noun
( -s )
1. : a narrow especially lengthwise break or fissure made by or as if by splitting
a small wedge driven into splits in either end — Peter Heaton
a spectacular flight through the deep split in the Andes — R.U. & Mary Light
: cleft , crack , rent : as
a.
(1) : an acute-angled cut made in glassware with a grinding wheel
(2) : a check in an article made of glass usually extending from surface to surface
b. : a lengthwise separation of wood caused by the tearing apart of the wood cells
c. : an earmark on an animal made by slitting the ear — see earmark illustration
d. : a position of bowling pins left standing with space for one or more intermediate pins between them — compare railroad
2. : a piece of material that is split off or is made thin by splitting
pegged or nailed the splits together to get a big enough piece for the door — W.F.Harris
as
a. : a splinter or fragment of wood
b. : a dent in the reed of a loom
c. : any of the underlying sections of a skin made by dividing it into two or more thicknesses
d. : any of the three or four strips into which osiers are cut for some kinds of basketwork — usually used in plural
e. : one of two or more narrow fabrics woven as one full-width cloth with selvage strips and then cut apart or split at these strips
3.
a. : a breach or separation in an organized or normally cohesive group (as a political party or sect) or between partners or friends : division ; also : a faction formed by such separation
another split would just about end the party — S.H.Adams
the split in the ranks of the Communist critics — C.I.Glicksberg
exploiting splits in the enemy camp — K.T.Chang
a major split between the United States and most of the rest of the free world — McGeorge Bundy
a rumored split between a famous acting couple
b. : any separation or division into or between especially divergent or antagonistic elements or forces
the split between the integrating and disintegrating tendencies — Lewis Mumford
the fatal split between intellect and emotions — Hans Meyerhoff
moral and religious splits that are found in our very makeup as persons — John Dewey
a very substantial split between the anxious egghead and the … lowbrow — Rosanna Shamray
a split in his personality
4. : the act or process of splitting: as
a. : a feat or the movement of lowering oneself to the floor (as by a dancer) or of leaping into the air (as by a gymnast or a figure skater) with the legs extended one to each side or one forward and one backward at right angles to the trunk
b. : the dealing of two cards of the same denomination in the same turn in faro with the result that the dealer takes half the bets on the card of that denomination
c. : split shot
d. : the act or process of splitting the stock of a corporation
recent stock splits — Investor's Reader
approved a five-for-one split of the common stock — Richard Butter
5. Britain
a. : informer
b. : plainclothesman
6. : a product of division by or as if by splitting: as
a. : any of the air currents in a mine formed by dividing a larger current ; also : the workings ventilated by such a current
b. : a coal seam separated from another seam by a thick parting
c. Britain : a split roll or bun
tea and cider passed around with cakes and splits — A.T.Quiller-Couch
7.
a. : a small bottle (of some drink) containing about half the quantity of the customary smaller commercial bottle used for that drink ; also : a drink of half the usual quantity : half glass
b. : a brick of full length and width but half the usual thickness
c. : a share (as of booty, winnings, profits) claimed or promised
d. : an offset on a bulb (as in the narcissus)
e.
(1) : the manner in which a suit is divided among the players in a card game
(2) : an as nearly as possible even division of cards (as when four are divided 2-2 or five are divided 3-2)
f. : a piece of a bisected stamp
8. : a mixed sweet composed of sliced fruit (as a banana divided lengthwise), ice cream, nuts, and syrups
Synonyms: see breach
III. adjective
1. : cleft , divided , fractured,
split collarbone
split lip
came from a split home
took a split vacation
a badly split people
was split between love and hatred — Carson McCullers
were split on the question of women's rights
executives betray a curiously split feeling — W.H.Whyte
2. : that has been split or split off for use either singly or in combination
fishing rod of split bamboo
split bandage
split hides
3.
a. of a stock : that has been split
split shares
a split issue
b. of an order to buy or sell stock : divided for execution part at one time and price and part at another
c. of a stock quotation : given in sixteenths rather than eighths
d. : divided on the London stock exchange into preferred ordinary stock and deferred ordinary stock
4. of color printing : using or done by means of a roller or ink fountain divided or adjusted to print two or more separate colors simultaneously
split fountain work
split roller method
5. of a network or channel : broken up to handle more than one program simultaneously
6. : heterozygous — used especially by breeders of caged birds sometimes with for
split for both Cinnamon and Opaline — All-Pets Magazine
IV. transitive verb
: leave
split the scene
intransitive verb
: leave
the women split for New York on Tuesday — Linda Francke
V. noun
: the recorded time of an athlete at a specific interval in a race (as of running or swimming)