[di.vide] vb di.vid.ed ; di.vid.ing [ME, fr. L dividere, fr. dis- + -videre to separate--more at widow] vt (14c) 1 a: to separate into two or more parts, areas, or groups b: to separate into classes, categories, or divisions c: cleave, part
2. a: to separate into portions and give out in shares: distribute b: to possess, enjoy, or make use of in common c: apportion 3 a: to cause to be separate, distinct, or apart from one another b: to separate into opposing sides or parties c: to cause (a parliamentary body) to vote by division
4. a: to subject (a number or quantity) to the operation of finding how many times it contains another number or quantity "~ 42 by 14" b: to be used as a divisor with respect to (a dividend) "4 ~s 16 evenly" c: to use as a divisor--used with into "~ 14 into 42" ~ vi 1: to perform mathematical division
2. a (1): to undergo replication, multiplication, fission, or separation into parts (2): to branch out b: to become separated or disunited esp. in opinion or interest syn see separate, distribute -- di.vid.able adj
[2]divide n (1642) 1: an act of dividing
2. a: a dividing ridge between drainage areas: watershed b: a point or line of division