separate
Other forms: separated; separating; separates
Things that are separate are kept apart from other things. A married couple heading for divorce might eat breakfast at separate tables.
You can use the adjective separate to describe something that is thought of as different or not related to other things. The adjective is from the Latin prefix se- "apart" plus parare "to prepare." Separate is also used as a verb, pronounced "SEP-uh-rate." Separate is one of the most commonly misspelled words, so beware of the erroneous spelling, seperate.
Definitions of separate
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force, take, or pull apart“He separated the fighting children”
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types:
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compartmentalise, compartmentalize, cut up
separate into isolated compartments or categories
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polarise, polarize
cause to concentrate about two conflicting or contrasting positions
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isolate, keep apart, sequester, sequestrate, set apart
set apart from others
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disjoin, disjoint
make disjoint, separated, or disconnected; undo the joining of
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disarticulate, disjoint
separate at the joints
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disconnect
make disconnected, disjoin or unfasten
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cut
separate with or as if with an instrument
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tear
separate or be separated by force
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joint
separate (meat) at the joint
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gin
separate the seeds from (cotton) with a cotton gin
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break
separate from a clinch, in boxing
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break up, sever
set or keep apart
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bust, rupture, snap, tear
separate or cause to separate abruptly
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manicure
trim carefully and neatly
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scissor
cut with or as if with scissors
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plane, shave
cut or remove with or as if with a plane
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slice, slice up
cut into slices
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pink
cut in a zigzag pattern with pinking shears, in sewing
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jag
cut teeth into; make a jagged cutting edge
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carve, cut up
cut to pieces
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carve
form by carving
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carve, chip at
engrave or cut by chipping away at a surface
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cube, dice
cut into cubes
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julienne
cut into long thin strips
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chop, hack
cut with a hacking tool
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undercut
cut obliquely into (a tree) below the main cut and on the side toward which the tree will fall
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hack
cut away
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chop, chop up
cut into pieces
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cut down, drop, fell, strike down
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
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chip, nick
cut a nick into
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nick, snick
cut slightly, with a razor
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break off, chip, cut off, knap
break a small piece off from
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pare, trim
remove the edges from and cut down to the desired size
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circumcise
cut the skin over the clitoris
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chamfer, chase, furrow
cut a furrow into a columns
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indent
cut or tear along an irregular line so that the parts can later be matched for authentication
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mortice, mortise
cut a hole for a tenon in
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decouple, uncouple
disconnect or separate
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detach
cause to become detached or separated; take off
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cut down, mow
cut with a blade or mower
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shear
cut or cut through with shears
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gash, slash
cut open
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cut down, slash
cut with sweeping strokes; as with an ax or machete
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tap
cut a female screw thread with a tap
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hob
cut with a hob
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bore, drill
make a hole, especially with a pointed power or hand tool
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clip, nip, nip off, snip, snip off
sever or remove by pinching or snipping
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dissect
cut open or cut apart
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bisect
cut in half or cut in two
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transect
cut across or divide transversely
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trisect
cut in three
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pare, whittle
cut small bits or pare shavings from
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chatter
cut unevenly with a chattering tool
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cut away
remove by cutting off or away
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tomahawk
cut with a tomahawk
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saber, sabre
cut or injure with a saber
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rebate
cut a rebate in (timber or stone)
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cradle
cut grain with a cradle scythe
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incise
make an incision into by carving or cutting
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trench
cut or carve deeply into
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bob, dock, tail
remove or shorten the tail of an animal
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cleave, rive, split
separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument
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slice, slit
make a clean cut through
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lacerate
cut or tear irregularly
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saw
cut with a saw
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discerp, lop, sever
cut off from a whole
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pull, rend, rent, rip, rive
tear or be torn violently
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rip up, shred, tear up
tear into shreds
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chase
cut a groove into
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bevel, chamfer
cut a bevel on; shape to a bevel
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crosscut, cut across
cut using a diagonal line
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rip
cut (wood) along the grain
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come apart“The two pieces that we had glued separated”
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subdivide
form into subdivisions
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polarise, polarize
become polarized in a conflict or contrasting situation
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break up, calve
release ice
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break away, break off, chip, chip off, come off
break off (a piece from a whole)
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disjoin, disjoint
become separated, disconnected or disjoint
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come away, come off, detach
come to be detached
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segregate
divide from the main body or mass and collect
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segment
divide or split up
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reduce
undergo meiosis
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section, segment
divide into segments
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partition, partition off
divide into parts, pieces, or sections
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discerp, dismember, take apart
divide into pieces
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gerrymander
divide unfairly and to one's advantage; of voting districts
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flake, flake off, peel, peel off
come off in flakes or thin small pieces
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exfoliate
come off in a very thin piece
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blow off
come off due to an explosion or other strong force
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chop off, cut off, lop off
remove by or as if by cutting
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unsolder
remove the soldering from
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fall off
come off
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syllabicate, syllabify, syllabise, syllabize
divide into syllables
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quarter
divide into quarters
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pound, pound off
partition off into compartments
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type of:
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change
undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
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become separated into pieces or fragments
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synonyms:
break, come apart, fall apart, split up
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break
destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments
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types:
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break open, burst, split
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
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puncture
be pierced or punctured
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burst, bust
break open or apart suddenly and forcefully
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smash
break suddenly into pieces, as from a violent blow
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ladder, run
come unraveled or undone as if by snagging
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crack, snap
break suddenly and abruptly, as under tension
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break up, fragment, fragmentise, fragmentize
break or cause to break into pieces
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crush
become injured, broken, or distorted by pressure
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pop
burst open with a sharp, explosive sound
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blow
burst suddenly
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stave, stave in
burst or force (a hole) into something
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atomise, atomize
break up into small particles
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bray, comminute, crunch, grind, mash
reduce to small pieces or particles by pounding or abrading
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pound
break down and crush by beating, as with a pestle
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shatter
break into many pieces
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sunder
break apart or in two, using violence
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sliver, splinter
break up into splinters or slivers
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rag
break into lumps before sorting
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crumb
break into crumbs
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brecciate
break into breccia
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crush
break into small pieces
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grate, grind
make a grating or grinding sound by rubbing together
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type of:
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change integrity
change in physical make-up
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break
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make a division or separation
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synonyms:
divide
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types:
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partition, zone
separate or apportion into sections
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break
destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments
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break up, dispel, disperse, dissipate, scatter
to cause to separate and go in different directions
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rail, rail off
separate with a railing
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detach
separate (a small unit) from a larger, especially for a special assignment
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close off, shut off
isolate or separate
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screen off, separate off
partition by means of a divider, such as a screen
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shatter
cause to break into many pieces
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fracture
break into pieces
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break in
break so as to fall inward
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dash, smash
break into pieces, as by striking or knocking over
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disband
cause to break up or cease to function
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curtain off
separate by means of a curtain
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separate into parts or portions
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subdivide
divide into smaller and smaller pieces
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format, initialise, initialize
divide (a disk) into marked sectors so that it may store data
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sectionalise, sectionalize
divide into sections, especially into geographic sections
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triangulate
divide into triangles or give a triangular form to
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unitise, unitize
divide (bulk material) and process as units
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lot
divide into lots, as of land, for example
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parcel
divide into parts
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sliver, splinter
divide into slivers or splinters
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paragraph
divide into paragraphs, as of text
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canton
divide into cantons, of a country
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Balkanise, Balkanize
divide a territory into small, hostile states
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type of:
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change integrity
change in physical make-up
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divide into components or constituents“Separate the wheat from the chaff”
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break down, break up, decompose, degrade
separate (substances) into constituent elements or parts
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dialyse, dialyze
separate by dialysis
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peptise, peptize
disperse in a medium into a colloidal state
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macerate
separate into constituents by soaking
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card, tease
separate the fibers of
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filter, filter out, filtrate, separate out, strain
remove by passing through a filter
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extract
separate (a metal) from an ore
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fractionate
obtain by a fractional process
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fractionate
separate into constituents or fractions containing concentrated constituents
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sieve, sift, strain
separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements
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wash
separate dirt or gravel from (precious minerals)
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disperse
separate (light) into spectral rays
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avulse
separate by avulsion
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digest
soften or disintegrate by means of chemical action, heat, or moisture
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dissociate
to undergo a reversible or temporary breakdown of a molecule into simpler molecules or atoms
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crack
reduce (petroleum) to a simpler compound by cracking
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rice
sieve so that it becomes the consistency of rice
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resift
sift anew
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riddle, screen
separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff
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fan, winnow
separate the chaff from by using air currents
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pan, pan off, pan out
wash dirt in a pan to separate out the precious minerals
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type of:
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change integrity
change in physical make-up
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arrange or order by classes or categories
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unitise, unitize
separate or classify into units
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catalog, catalogue
make an itemized list or catalog of; classify
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isolate
separate (experiences) from the emotions relating to them
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refer
think of, regard, or classify under a subsuming principle or with a general group or in relation to another
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reclassify
classify anew, change the previous classification
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size
sort according to size
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dichotomise, dichotomize
divide into two opposing groups or kinds
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pigeonhole, stamp, stereotype
treat or classify according to a mental stereotype
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group
arrange into a group or groups
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grade
determine the grade of or assign a grade to
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count, number
put into a group
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regroup
reorganize into new groups
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bracket
classify or group
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chunk, collocate, lump
group or chunk together in a certain order or place side by side
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batch
batch together; assemble or process as a batch
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type of:
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categorise, categorize
place into or assign to a category
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discontinue an association or relation; go different ways“The couple separated after 25 years of marriage”
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types:
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give the axe, give the bounce, give the gate
terminate a relationship abruptly
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break apart, disunify
break up or separate
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disassociate, disjoint, dissociate, disunite, divorce
part; cease or break association with
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break with
end a relationship
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divorce, split up
get a divorce; formally terminate a marriage
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break away, secede, splinter
withdraw from an organization or communion
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break, break away
interrupt a continued activity
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go one's own way; move apart“The friends separated after the party”
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types:
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disperse, dissipate, scatter, spread out
move away from each other
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break up
come apart
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diffract
undergo diffraction
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aerosolise, aerosolize
become dispersed as an aerosol
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break
scatter or part
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volley
be dispersed in a volley
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disband, dissolve
stop functioning or cohering as a unit
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type of:
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move
move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion
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divide into two or more branches so as to form a fork
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types:
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arborise, arborize
branch out like trees
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twig
branch out in a twiglike manner
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bifurcate
divide into two branches
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trifurcate
divide into three
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type of:
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diverge
move or draw apart
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a separately printed article that originally appeared in a larger publication
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act as a barrier between; stand between
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synonyms:
divide
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mark as different
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synonyms:
differentiate, distinguish, secern, secernate, severalise, severalize, tell, tell apart
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types:
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know
be able to distinguish, recognize as being different
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discern, discriminate, know apart
recognize or perceive the difference
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label
distinguish (an element or atom) by using a radioactive isotope or an isotope of unusual mass for tracing through chemical reactions
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label
distinguish (as a compound or molecule) by introducing a labeled atom
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sex
tell the sex (of young chickens)
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individualise, individualize
make or mark or treat as individual
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contrast
put in opposition to show or emphasize differences
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severalise, severalize
distinguish or separate
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contradistinguish
distinguish by contrasting qualities
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decouple, dissociate
regard as unconnected
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demarcate
separate clearly, as if by boundaries
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discriminate, single out
treat differently on the basis of sex or race
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stratify
divide society into social classes or castes
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insulate, isolate
place or set apart
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subtilize
mark fine distinctions and subtleties, as among words
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hive off
remove from a group and make separate
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segregate
separate by race or religion; practice a policy of racial segregation
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redline
discriminate in selling or renting housing in certain areas of a neighborhood
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disadvantage, disfavor, disfavour
put at a disadvantage; hinder, harm
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a garment that can be purchased separately and worn in combinations with other garments
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type of:
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garment
an article of clothing
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garment
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treat differently on the basis of sex or race
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synonyms:
discriminate, single out
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types:
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insulate, isolate
place or set apart
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hive off
remove from a group and make separate
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segregate
separate by race or religion; practice a policy of racial segregation
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redline
discriminate in selling or renting housing in certain areas of a neighborhood
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disadvantage, disfavor, disfavour
put at a disadvantage; hinder, harm
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segregate
separate or isolate (one thing) from another and place in a group apart from others
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ghettoise, ghettoize
put in a ghetto
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cloister
seclude from the world in or as if in a cloister
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seclude, sequester, sequestrate, withdraw
keep away from others
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quarantine
place into enforced isolation, as for medical reasons
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maroon
leave stranded on a desert island without resources
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hamper, handicap, hinder
put at a disadvantage
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prejudice
disadvantage by prejudice
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type of:
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differentiate, distinguish, secern, secernate, severalise, severalize, tell, tell apart
mark as different
Definitions of separate
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standing apart; not attached to or supported by anything“a house with a separate garage”
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synonyms:
freestanding
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detached
used of buildings; standing apart from others
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detached
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having the connection undone; having become separate
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synonyms:
disjoined
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unconnected
not joined or linked together
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unconnected
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independent; not united or joint“a problem consisting of two separate issues”“they went their separate ways”“formed a separate church”
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Synonyms:
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individual, single
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
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independent
free from external control and constraint
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segregated, unintegrated
separated or isolated from others or a main group
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other
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
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apart
having characteristics not shared by others
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asunder
widely separated especially in space
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detached, isolated, separated, set-apart
being or feeling set or kept apart from others
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discrete, distinct
constituting a separate entity or part
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disjoint
having no elements in common
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disjunct, isolated
marked by separation of or from usually contiguous elements
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isolable
capable of being isolated or disjoined
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unaccompanied
(of a state or an event) taking place without something specified occurring at the same time
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unshared
not shared
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divided
separated into parts or pieces
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Antonyms:
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joint
united or combined
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collective
forming a whole or aggregate
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common
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
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integrated
not segregated; designated as available to all races or groups
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clannish
characteristic of a clan especially in being unified
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concerted, conjunct, conjunctive, cooperative
involving the joint activity of two or more
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conjoined, conjoint
consisting of two or more associated entities
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collective, corporate
done by or characteristic of individuals acting together
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cosignatory
signing jointly with others
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shared
have in common; held or experienced in common
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united
characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity
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individual, single
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separated according to race, sex, class, or religion“separate but equal”“girls and boys in separate classes”
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Synonyms:
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segregated, unintegrated
separated or isolated from others or a main group
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segregated, unintegrated
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