divide

Related to divide: Divide sign

cross the Great Divide

To die. I'm really scared that mom is going to cross the Great Divide any day now. The doctors are saying that it's only a matter of time.
See also: cross, divide, great

divide (something) by (something)

To divide something into a specified number of parts, which is stated after "by." OK class, now what is the answer when we divide six by two?
See also: by, divide

divide (something) fifty-fifty

To split something evenly between both parties. I promised the kids that I would divide the last cookie fifty-fifty. Because you helped me so much with the yard sale, I want to divide the profits fifty-fifty.
See also: divide

divide and conquer

1. To gain or maintain power by generating tension among others, especially those less powerful, so that they cannot unite in opposition. Rachel is so popular because she divides and conquers all of her minions and makes sure they all dislike each other.
2. To accomplish something by having several people work on it separately and simultaneously. The only way we'll ever get this project finished on time is if we divide and conquer. I'll put the slides together while you type up the hand-out.
See also: and, conquer, divide

divide and rule

To gain or maintain power by fomenting discord among people so that they do not unite in opposition. The ascendancy of the faction occurred because they were able to divide and rule—they fooled the other parties into fighting while they rose to power.
See also: and, divide, rule

divide up

To divide and dole out portions of something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "divide" and "up." All right, let's divide up the cash and then go our separate ways. Make sure you divide the pizza up equally this time! I don't want to get just a single piece like last time.
See also: divide, up

the great divide

slang A divorce. Ever since the great divide, I only see the kids every other weekend.
See also: divide, great
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

divide by something

to perform mathematical division by a particular number. Can you divide by sixteens? Add this figure to the next column and divide by twenty.
See also: by, divide

divide

something between people or things to give shares of something to specific people or groups. (In a strict sense, only between two entities. Informally, between two or more.) I will have to divide the toys between the two children. He divided the tasks between the day crew and the night crew.

divide something by something

 to perform mathematical division on something, using a particular number. Now, divide this sum by the figure in column seven. Can you divide
1. ,400 by 59?
See also: by, divide

divide something fifty-fifty

 and split something fifty-fifty
to divide something into two equal parts. (The fifty means 50 percent.) Tommy and Billy divided the candy fifty-fifty. The robbers split the money fifty-fifty.
See also: divide

divide something (off)

 (from something or animals)
1. to separate something from something else. Let's divide the chickens off from the ducks and put the chickens in the shed. We divided off the chickens from the ducks.
2. to separate something from something else, using a partition. We divided the sleeping area off from the rest of the room. A curtain was used to divide off a sleeping area.

divide

(something) (up) (between someone or something) and divide something (up) (among someone or something) to give something out in shares to people or groups. (More informal with up. Between with two;among with more.) Please divide this up between the visitors. Cut the birthday cake and divide it up among all the party guests. Please divide up this pie between the children.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

divide and conquer

Also, divide and govern or rule . Win by getting one's opponents to fight among themselves. For example, Divide and conquer was once a very successful policy in sub-Saharan Africa. This expression is a translation of the Latin maxim, Divide et impera ("divide and rule"), and began to appear in English about 1600.
See also: and, conquer, divide
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

divide and conquer

BRITISH & AMERICAN or

divide and rule

BRITISH
COMMON If you try to divide and conquer or divide and rule, you try to keep control over a group of people by encouraging them to argue amongst themselves. Trade unions are concerned that management may be tempted into a policy of divide and rule. The Summit sends a very strong message to him that he's not going to divide and conquer. Note: This expression has its origin in the Latin phrase `divide et impera'. It describes one of the tactics which the Romans used to rule their empire.
See also: and, conquer, divide
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

divide and rule (or conquer)

the policy of maintaining supremacy over your opponents by encouraging dissent between them, thereby preventing them from uniting against you.
This is a maxim associated with a number of rulers, and is found in Latin as divide et impera and in German as entzwei und gebiete . Since the early 17th century, English writers have often wrongly attributed it to the Italian political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli ( 1469–1527 ).
See also: and, divide, rule
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

diˌvide and ˈrule

keep control over people by making them disagree with and fight each other, therefore not giving them the chance to unite and oppose you together: a policy of divide and rule
See also: and, divide, rule
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

great divide

n. a divorce. How did Sam survive the great divide?
See also: divide, great
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

divide and conquer/rule/govern, to

To win by getting one’s opponents to fight among themselves. This strategy not only was discovered to be effective in wartime by the most ancient of adversaries, but was also applied to less concrete affairs by Jesus: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Matthew 12:25). The exact term is a translation of a Roman maxim, divide et impera (divide and rule).
See also: and, conquer, divide, rule
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • cross the Great Divide
  • at cross purposes
  • at cross-purposes
  • cross the big pond
  • purpose
  • cross up
  • cross up someone
  • cross heart
  • cross my heart
  • cross my heart and hope to die
References in periodicals archive
Cut down the foliage of evergreen grasses in spring and divide them, while bamboo stems can be cut down to 30cm (12in).
Multiply by dividing; Want to swell your stock of plants? Division may be the best way to fill out your garden on a budget says Hannah Stephenson
TOP TIPS TO DIVIDE AND RULE IN YOUR GARDEN, BY HANNAH STEPHENSON; Dividing is an easy way to boost stocks of perennials like echinacea and bearded irises (inset)
Split decision
Some say, however, that the digital divide is still vast in more subtle ways, such as with homework.
Digital divide closes with more Internet?
When this cell divides over and over, it eventually forms a mass of cells called an embryo.
Lopsided?
Divide each half into two sections, securing with clips.
No. More. Boring. Hair. Ever! Seven days, seven fresh looks. All from just one basic haircut
He divides the volume into two parts: (1) an argument for his methodological approach and (2) a thematic exploration of the theology of the Bible.
The Ways of Our God: An Approach to Biblical Theology
Others describe the situation more darkly, suggesting that Issing's departure offers an opportunity for the ECB leadership to divide the research duties and thus reduce the influence of the research power center.
Issing's replacement
Students in the Digital Citizenship course had a challenge to confront the digital divide. Students initially explored the impact of digital communication and citizenship.
Closing the digital divide with service-learning
Divide the cost of goods by average inventory to see how long it takes to sell inventory.
Assessing growth opportunities: are you financial or strategic?
If, in baseball, we need to divide performance measures by the number of opportunities, then in the corporate domain we likewise need to divide commonly-used performance measures by a suitable measure of the risk taken to achieve that performance.
Measuring up: baseball statistics are far superior to those commonly used to manage or evaluate corporations
Joe Volk, executive secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation, advocated "practicing values that are shared across the deep divide in the middle of America: affirming the dignity of every human being, compassion for the stranger, tolerance for minority views, and freedom for all." These are important values, to be sure.
The issue at hand
The Great Divide Brewing Company of Denver, CO has just completed a full-scale rebranding project.
Great Divide transforms brand portfolio
TORONTO -- Calling it "Canada's Great Divide", The Centre for Social Justice reports that the poor are getting poorer and
Number of poor families continues to rise
Divide halibut fillets, olive oil and thyme between six vacuum-packed bags.
"This is as panicked as I get!" Alessandro Stratta