I. di ‧ vide 1 S2 W2 /dəˈvaɪd, dɪˈvaɪd/ BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ divide , ↑ division , ↑ subdivision ; adjective : ↑ divided ≠ ↑ undivided , ↑ divisible ≠ ↑ indivisible , ↑ divisive ; verb : ↑ divide , ↑ subdivide ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: dividere , from videre 'to separate' ]
1 . SEPARATE [intransitive and transitive] if something divides, or if you divide it, it separates into two or more parts
divide something into something
Scientists traditionally divide the oceans into zones.
The book is divided into six sections.
divide into
Here, the river divides into three channels.
2 . KEEP SEPARATE ( also divide off ) [transitive] to keep two areas separate from each other:
The Wall used to divide East and West Berlin.
divide something from something
Only a thin curtain divided her cabin from his.
3 . SHARE ( also divide up ) [transitive] to separate something into parts and share them between people
divide something between/among somebody/something
The money will be divided equally among the charities.
4 . SPEND TIME/ENERGY [transitive] if you divide your time, energy etc between different activities or places, you spend part of your time doing each activity or in each place
divide something between something/somebody
She divides her time between New York and Paris.
5 . MATHEMATICS
a) [transitive] to calculate how many times one number contains a smaller number ⇨ multiply
divide something by something
If you divide 21 by 3, you get 7.
‘What’s six divided by three?’ ‘Two’.
b) [intransitive] to be contained exactly in a number one or more times
divide into
8 divides into 64.
6 . DISAGREE [transitive] to make people disagree so that they form groups with different opinions:
The issue of cloning has sharply divided voters.
7 . divide and rule/conquer to defeat or control people by making them argue with each other instead of opposing you
8 . divided loyalties a feeling you have when two people you like have argued and you are not sure which person you should support:
Divorce is an agony of divided loyalties for children.
—divided adjective :
a deeply divided society
The committee was divided over the proposal.
II. divide 2 BrE AmE noun [countable usually singular]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ divide , ↑ division , ↑ subdivision ; adjective : ↑ divided ≠ ↑ undivided , ↑ divisible ≠ ↑ indivisible , ↑ divisive ; verb : ↑ divide , ↑ subdivide ]
1 . a strong difference between the beliefs or way of life of groups of people, that may make them hate each other:
The North/South divide is characteristic of Britain.
cultural/political/racial etc divide
people on both sides of the political divide
2 . American English a line of high ground between two river systems SYN watershed