divide

di|vide1 [ dı`vaıd ] verb ***

▸ 1 separate/be separated

▸ 2 be in between

▸ 3 in mathematics

▸ 4 cause disagreement

▸ 5 separate into two

▸ 6 when cells separate

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) divide or divide up transitive to separate people or things into smaller groups or parts:

Divide the dough and roll out one part.

divide something into pairs/groups/parts etc.: Divide the class into three groups.

a ) intransitive to have separate parts or form into separate groups:

divide into: The movie divides into two distinct halves.

b ) transitive to separate something into smaller parts and share the parts between people:

Work out how you would like to divide the money.

divide something between/among someone: After his death his property was divided among his children.

2. ) transitive to keep two or more areas or parts separate:

the wall that divides the playground and the playing field

divide something from something: The railroad divides their family's land from the plains below.

3. ) intransitive or transitive to do a MATHEMATICAL calculation to find out how many times a number contains a smaller number. This is usually shown by the symbol ÷:

divide something by something: Divide 9 by 3.

10 divided by 2 is 5.

divide by: Add 50 to your original number, then divide by six.

4. ) transitive to be the cause of disagreement between people, especially within a group:

a subject that divided the nation

The ruling class was divided by internal conflicts.

=> DIVIDED

a ) intransitive to disagree and form smaller groups:

divide along party/religious/ethnic etc. lines (=according to your political party, religion, race, etc.): The Senate looks certain to divide along party lines.

5. ) intransitive if a road divides, it separates into two roads: FORK:

When the road divides, take the left-hand route.

6. ) intransitive if a cell in a plant or animal divides, it separates into two cells so that a new cell is formed

divide and conquer

to keep control over people who might oppose you, by encouraging disagreement or fighting among them:

The empire was maintained through a strategy of divide and conquer.

di`vide into phrasal verb transitive

divide something into something to do a MATHEMATICAL calculation to find out how many times a smaller number will fit into a larger number:

Divide 3 into 9.

di,vide `off phrasal verb transitive

to keep one area separate from another:

the fence that divided off the women's section

di,vide `up phrasal verb

1. ) transitive same as DIVIDE1 1:

divide up into: Divide the children up into groups of four.

a secret Soviet-German pact for dividing up Europe in 1940

2. ) intransitive same as DIVIDE1 1A:

divide up into: Let's divide up into groups now.

3. ) transitive same as DIVIDE1 1B:

The money will be divided up among five different charities.

divide

di|vide 2 [ dı`vaıd ] noun count

1. ) usually singular an important difference or disagreement between two people or groups:

The ideological divide between them has deepened.

a racial/cultural/political divide

divide between: There's a clear divide between the two parties on the issue of taxation.

2. ) AMERICAN an area of high ground that separates the areas from which water runs into two different rivers or oceans