Etymology: Middle English, from Latin dividere, from dis- + -videre to separate — more at widow
Date: 14th century
transitive verb1 a: to separate into two or more parts, areas, or groups <divide the city into wards>b: to separate into classes, categories, or divisions <divide history into epochs>c:cleave, part<a ship dividing the waves> 2 a: to separate into portions and give out in shares :distribute<divide profits>b: to possess, enjoy, or make use of in common <divide the blame>c:apportion<divides her time between the office and home> 3 a: to cause to be separate, distinct, or apart from one another <fields divided by stone walls>b: to separate into opposing sides or parties <the issues that divide us>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 <divide 42 by 14>b: to be used as a divisor with respect to (a dividend) <4 divides 16 evenly>c: to use as a divisor —used with into<divide 14 into 42>intransitive verb1: 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 especially in opinion or interest