Divide Meaning
Divide Definition & Usage
To separate or split something into parts or portions.
Examples
- "She decided to divide the cake into equal slices for everyone."
- "The teacher divided the students into two groups for the project."
- "They divided the land among the farmers based on their needs."
- "Can you divide the tasks so that we finish faster?"
- "The river divides the two regions, creating a natural boundary."
To perform division in arithmetic or mathematics.
Examples
- "To solve the equation, you need to divide 15 by 3."
- "In geometry, you divide the total area by the number of sections to find the area of each part."
- "If you divide the total cost by the number of items, you'll get the price per item."
- "The chemist had to divide the solution into equal parts for the experiment."
- "In this formula, you divide the numerator by the denominator to get the result."
To cause disagreement or separation between people or groups.
Examples
- "The political debate divided the nation into two opposing sides."
- "Her controversial opinions tended to divide the group."
- "The news about the merger divided the employees, with some in favor and others against."
- "The divorce divided the family, causing lasting rifts."
- "Social media often divides people based on their beliefs."
To create a distinction or contrast between two things.
Examples
- "The author divides the characters into two categories: good and evil."
- "This chart divides the data into separate categories based on age groups."
- "The speech divided the issues into two main arguments: economic and social."
- "She divides her time between work and family commitments."
- "The film divides opinion, with some viewers loving it and others hating it."
Cultural Context
The word 'divide' has been used for centuries in English, originating from Latin and Old French. It is commonly associated with both literal actions (such as cutting or separating) and metaphorical ideas (such as creating boundaries between groups or opinions).
The Division of the Kingdom
Story
The Division of the Kingdom
Once upon a time in a faraway land, there was a kingdom known for its prosperity. The king, an elderly man, had three children: two sons and a daughter. As the king grew older, he decided it was time to divide his kingdom among them, but not equally. The eldest son, strong and ambitious, would rule the northern plains; the second son, wise and thoughtful, would govern the southern hills; and the daughter, sharp and diplomatic, would manage the eastern coast. The people were divided on whether this was fair. Some believed the kingdom should remain unified, while others thought it made sense to divide it by the natural borders of the land. However, as time passed, the children began to bicker. The eldest son wanted to expand his territory, the second son argued over the shared resources, and the daughter, seeing the cracks in her siblings' relationship, tried to mediate but only caused further divisions. It wasn't long before the kingdom, once united, was now separated by feuding factions. One day, a wandering philosopher arrived at the divided land. He saw the separation and asked the children what had happened. The eldest son said, 'The land has been divided for the good of all.' The second son replied, 'But look at the division it has caused between us.' The daughter said, 'I tried to divide our time and efforts, but now all we have is division itself.' The philosopher nodded and said, 'Perhaps it was not the division of land that caused the problem, but the division of hearts.' And with that, he left, leaving the siblings to reflect on how to reunite their people. Though the kingdom remained divided, the lesson lingered. The siblings worked together to heal the rifts between their people, realizing that while division is sometimes necessary, it should always be followed by efforts to reconcile and unite.
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