Main Entry: ¹di·vide

Pronunciation: \də-ˈvīd\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): di·vid·ed; di·vid·ing

Etymology: Middle English, from Latin dividere, from dis- + -videre to separate — more at widow

Date: 14th century

transitive verb 1 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 verb 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 especially in opinion or interest

synonyms see separate, distribute

— di·vid·able \-ˈvī-də-bəl\ adjective