apart

[uh-pahrt]

adverb

1. into pieces or parts; to pieces.

   to take a watch apart; an old barn falling apart from decay.

2. separately in place, time, motion, etc..

   New York and Tokyo are thousands of miles apart. Our birthdays are three days apart.

3. to or at one side, with respect to place, purpose, or function.

   to put money apart for education; to keep apart from the group out of pride.

4. separately or individually in consideration.

   each factor viewed apart from the others.

5. aside (used with a gerund or noun).

   Joking apart, what do you think?

adjective

1. having independent or unique qualities, features, or characteristics; separate (usually used following the noun it modifies).

   a class apart.

verb phrase

1. take apart

   1. to disassemble.

      to take a clock apart.

   2. Informal.,  to criticize; attack.

      She was taken apart for her controversial stand.

   3. to subject to intense examination.

      He will take your feeble excuses apart.

apart

/ əˈpɑːt /

adjective

1. to pieces or in pieces

   he had the television apart on the floor

2. placed or kept separately or to one side for a particular purpose, reason, etc; aside (esp in the phrases set or put apart )

3. separate in time, place, or position; at a distance

   he stood apart from the group

   two points three feet apart

4. not being taken into account; aside

   these difficulties apart, the project ran smoothly

5. individual; distinct; separate

   a race apart

6. separately or independently in use, thought, or function

   considered apart, his reasoning was faulty

7. (preposition) besides; other than

Other Word Forms

• apartness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of apart¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Old French a part “to one side”; a- ⁵, part

Word History and Origins

Origin of apart¹

C14: from Old French a part at (the) side

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. apart from, aside from; in addition to.

   Apart from other considerations, time is a factor.

More idioms and phrases containing apart

• come apart
• fall apart
• pick apart
• poles apart
• set apart
• take apart
• tear apart
• tell apart

Example Sentences

Even the relatively targeted 1993 Oslo Accords, which aimed to chart a course to peace between Israel and the Palestinians, ultimately fell apart amid pressure from extremists on both sides.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Liberal Democrats have called on the government to "come clean on why this case fell apart" and publish all correspondence between the deputy national security adviser and the CPS.

Read more on BBC

Ethnic and religious tensions have ripped Syria and Lebanon apart.

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The nuclear family is destroyed; the crime family is falling apart.

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Hospital patients kept apart for infection control show more anxiety and depression and fare worse overall.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal