Home / Words / divideNo. 0120

divide

/dɪˈvaɪd//dɪˈvaɪd/·verb, noun
to split a whole into parts or shares; (noun) a gap between groups
Fig. 1 — I watch a whole pie on its dish, and a knife cut it three times, turning a little between each stroke — three lines crossing at the centre.
01Definition

To divide is to split a whole into parts — often equal ones, and often methodically: divide a cake into six, divide the class into groups, divide twelve by three. From the Latin dividere, 'to force apart'. It is the tidy, measured cousin of split. As a noun, a divide is a gap or rift between groups — the digital divide, a widening social divide. The word reaches into maths (dividend, divisor) and into the old strategy of divide and conquer.

02In use
  • iDivide the dough into six equal balls before you shape them.
  • iiThe committee divided the fund among the four regions.
  • iiiA deep divide runs between the two camps on this issue.
03Collocations
  • divide into
  • divide among
  • divide between
  • the digital divide
  • divide and conquer

Family division (noun) · divisor (noun) · divisive (adjective)

04Relations

=split, separate, partition, share, apportion

≠unite, combine, join, merge

05Compared
PairThe difference
divide vs amalgamateseveral organizations merged into one → amalgamate; one whole parcelled into parts or shares → divide.
divide vs blendmix things into one seamless whole where the parts vanish → blend; split one whole into parts or shares → divide.
divide vs coalesceseparate things grow together into one whole → coalesce; split one whole into parts or shares → divide.
divide vs coincidetwo independent things share the same point or time → coincide; split one whole into parts or shares → divide.
divide vs combineseparate things brought together into one → combine; one whole split into parts or shares → divide.

Also compared with concentrate, consolidate, converge, disband, disperse, dissipate, dissolve, diverge, fuse, integrate, intersect, join, meet, merge, radiate, scatter, separate, split, unite

06TOEFL & IELTS

The prepositions are exam-critical: divide into parts, divide between two recipients, divide among three or more. In maths, '12 divided by 3' names the operation. As a noun, a divide is a gap between groups — 'the digital divide', 'a generational divide' — a strong, precise word for Task 2 essays on inequality. Note the family: division (the act, or a department), divisor, and divisive, meaning 'causing disagreement'.

07Asked
Is it 'divide into', 'divide among', or 'divide between'?
All three, for different jobs. Divide something into parts or groups (divide the pizza into eight, divide the class into teams). Divide between two recipients (divide the estate between the two sons). Divide among three or more (divide the prize among the five winners). Into makes parts; between and among share out, by number of recipients.
What does 'divide by' mean in maths?
It names the operation of division: '12 divided by 3 equals 4' splits 12 into 3 equal groups. Take care with word order — '3 divided into 12' means the same sum but puts the divisor first, a common source of confusion. The number being divided is the dividend; the one you divide by is the divisor.
What is 'the digital divide' — divide as a noun?
As a noun, a divide is a gap or rift between groups. 'The digital divide' is the gap between those with good access to computers and the internet and those without; you will also meet 'a social divide' or 'a generational divide'. It is countable and takes between, and it is a precise word for essays on inequality.
What does 'divide and conquer' mean?
To weaken a group by setting its members against one another, so that a divided opposition is easier to overcome — from the Latin divide et impera. Note the separate computing sense: a 'divide-and-conquer' algorithm breaks a big problem into smaller sub-problems and solves each. Same phrase, two worlds.
What are dividend, divisor, and division?
They are divide's family. Division is the noun for the act of dividing, and also a section of an organization (the sales division). In maths, the dividend is the number being divided, the divisor is the number you divide by, and the answer is the quotient. And divisive means 'causing disagreement' — a divisive policy splits opinion.
What is the difference between divide and separate?
Divide takes one whole and splits it into parts, usually measured or equal — the pie is divided into six equal slices in the scene above. Separate pulls apart things that are already distinct, or sorts a mixture, with no sense of carving up a single whole. You divide the cake; you separate the plates from the bowls.