divide

di|vide¹ W2S1 [dıˈvaıd] v

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1¦(separate)¦

2¦(keep separate)¦

3¦(share)¦

4¦(spend time/energy)¦

5¦(mathematics)¦

6¦(disagree)¦

7 divide and rule/conquer

8 divided loyalties

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[Date: 1300-1400; : Latin; Origin: dividere, from videre 'to separate']

1.) ¦(SEPARATE)¦ [I and T]

if something divides, or if you divide it, it separates into two or more parts

divide sth into sth

▪ 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 [T]

to keep two areas separate from each other

▪ The Wall used to divide East and West Berlin.

divide sth from sth

▪ Only a thin curtain divided her cabin from his.

3.) ¦(SHARE)¦ also divide up [T]

to separate something into parts and share them between people

divide sth between/among sb/sth

▪ The money will be divided equally among the charities.

4.) ¦(SPEND TIME/ENERGY)¦ [T]

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 sth between sth/sb

▪ She divides her time between New York and Paris.

5.) ¦(MATHEMATICS)¦

a) [T]

to calculate how many times one number contains a smaller number

→↑multiply divide sth by sth

▪ If you divide 21 by 3, you get 7.

▪ 'What's six divided by three?' 'Two'.

b)

to be contained exactly in a number one or more times

divide into

▪ 8 divides into 64.

6.) ¦(DISAGREE)¦ [T]

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[i] adj

▪ a deeply divided society

▪ The committee was divided over the proposal.

divide ²

divide² n [C usually singular]

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.) AmE a line of high ground between two river systems

= ↑watershed