to separate something into two or more parts
We used a sharp knife to divide the cake into eight slices.
The river divides the town into an eastern and western half.
✦ From Latin "dividere" meaning "to separate".
to give each person a share of something
Mia divided the candy equally among her three friends.
The inheritance was divided between the two brothers.
✦ Same origin as the physical sense, extended to sharing.
in mathematics, to find how many times one number contains another
If you divide 12 by 3, you get 4.
He remembered how to divide fractions in the exam.
✦ Mathematical sense dates to the 14th century as arithmetic grew in Europe.
to cause disagreement or separation between people, groups, or ideas
The controversial law divided public opinion across the country.
Rumors can quickly divide close friends if they believe them.
✦ Figurative use emerged in the 17th century, applying physical separation to social contexts.
a clear difference or separation between two groups, ideas, or levels
There is still a wide divide between rich and poor in the city.
The generation divide became clear when they discussed technology.
✦ Figurative noun use follows the earlier verb sense of separating.
a high ridge or line of land that separates the flow of rivers toward different seas or basins
The hikers reached the continental divide after three days of climbing.
Snowmelt on one side of the divide flows to the Atlantic, while on the other it flows to the Pacific.
✦ Specialized noun use recorded in North American English in the 19th century.
