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dissever

[dih-sev-er]
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verb (used with object)
  1. to sever; separate.
  2. to divide into parts.
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verb (used without object)
  1. to part; separate.
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Origin of dissever

1250–1300; Middle English des(s)everen < Old French dessevrer < Late Latin dissēparāre, equivalent to Latin dis- dis-1 + sēparāre to separate
Related formsdis·sev·er·ance, dis·sev·er·ment, dis·sev·er·a·tion, nounun·dis·sev·ered, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for dissever

Historical Examples

  • But the check is for a time—the gap and chasm does not dissever.

    Dante. An essay.

    R. W. Church

  • He strove to unfasten her girdle, but might not dissever the clasp.

  • I had recourse to the expedient of spreading my letters on a dry towel and draining them before attempting to dissever the leaves.

  • Political Zionism alone can transcend and unite: any religious formula would disturb and dissever.

  • So the man was able to dissever the ghastly head and thus to slay the monstrous dragon.

British Dictionary definitions for dissever

dissever

verb
  1. to break off or become broken off
  2. (tr) to divide up into parts
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Derived Formsdisseverance, disseverment or disseveration, noun

Word Origin

C13: from Old French dessevrer, from Late Latin dis- 1 + sēparāre to separate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for dissever

v.

late 13c., from Anglo-French deseverer, Old French dessevrer (10c.), from des- (see dis-) + sevrer (see sever). Related: Dissevered; dissevering; disseverance; disseveration.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper