dismember
- to deprive of limbs; divide limb from limb: The ogre dismembered his victims before he ate them.
- to divide into parts; cut to pieces; mutilate.
- to reduce, reorganize, or discontinue the services or parts of (a company, government agency, etc.): Our business was dismembered by the conglomerate that bought it.
Origin of dismember
Related Words for dismember
dismantle, cripple, sunder, maim, mutilate, sever, anatomize, divide, disassemble, dissect, dismount, part, amputate, disjoint, dislocate, rendExamples from the Web for dismember
Contemporary Examples of dismember
He told reporters how his assailants had recognized him, set upon him with knives and tried to dismember his wrists.
The headlines were gruesome: after shooting and killing him, she had used a chain saw to dismember his body.
It is easy to get a handle on it if you dismember your victim.
Historical Examples of dismember
Kiddie helped him only so far as to skin and dismember the rabbit and peel the onions.
Kiddie the ScoutRobert Leighton
After all, why dismember his library for the sake of saving a few shillings on carriage?
The WhirlpoolGeorge Gissing
Too large to pass through the door, so they tried to dismember it.
Animal IntelligenceGeorge J. Romanes
John Henry's plot to dismember the Union disclosed to congress.
The Every Day Book of History and ChronologyJoel Munsell
We have no desire whatever to dismember the territory of the empire.
Thirty Years' View (Vol. II of 2)Thomas Hart Benton
dismember
- to remove the limbs or members of
- to cut to pieces
- to divide or partition (something, such as an empire)
Word Origin and History for dismember
c.1300, from Old French desmembrer (11c.), from Medieval Latin dismembrare "tear limb from limb; castrate," from Latin de- "take away" + membrum "limb" (see member). Related: Dismembered; dismembering.
dismember
(dĭs-mĕm′bər)- To amputate a limb or a part of a limb.