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Webster 1913 Edition

Divorce

Di-vorce′

,
Noun.
[F.
divorce
, L.
divortium
, fr.
divortere
,
divertere
, to turn different ways, to separate. See
Divert
.]
1.
(Law)
(a)
A legal dissolution of the marriage contract by a court or other body having competent authority. This is properly a divorce, and called, technically, divorce a vinculo matrimonii.
“from the bond of matrimony.”
(b)
The separation of a married woman from the bed and board of her husband – divorce a mensa et toro (or a mensa et thoro), “from bed and board”.
2.
The decree or writing by which marriage is dissolved.
3.
Separation; disunion of things closely united.
To make
divorce
of their incorporate league.
Shakespeare
4.
That which separates.
[Obs.]
Shak.
Bill of divorce
.
See under
Bill
.

Di-vorce′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Divorced
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Divorcing
.]
[Cf. F.
divorcer
. See
Divorce
,
Noun.
]
1.
To dissolve the marriage contract of, either wholly or partially; to separate by divorce.
2.
To separate or disunite; to sunder.
It [a word] was
divorced
from its old sense.
Earle.
3.
To make away; to put away.
Nothing but death
Shall e’er
divorce
my dignities.
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition

Divorce

DIVORCE

,
Noun.
[L. See Divert.]
1.
A legal dissolution of the bonds of matrimony, or the separation of husband and wife by a judicial sentence. This is properly called a divorce, and called technically, divorce a vinculo matrimonii.
2.
The separation of a married woman from the bed and board of her husband, a mensa et thoro.
3.
Separation; disunion of things closely united.
4.
The sentence or writing by which marriage is dissolved.
5.
The cause of any penal separation.
The long divorce of steel falls on me.

DIVORCE

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To dissolve the marriage contract, and thus to separate husband and wife.
2.
To separate, as a married woman from the bed and board of her husband.
3.
To separate or disunite things closely connected; to force asunder.
4.
To take away; to put away.

Definition 2024

divorce

divorce

See also: divorcé

English

Noun

divorce ‎(countable and uncountable, plural divorces)

  1. The legal dissolution of a marriage.
    Richard obtained a divorce from his wife some years ago, but hasn't returned to the dating scene.
  2. A separation of connected things.
    The Civil War split between Virginia and West Virginia was a divorce based along cultural and economic as well as geographic lines.
    • Shakespeare
      to make divorce of their incorporate league
  3. (obsolete) That which separates.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

divorce ‎(third-person singular simple present divorces, present participle divorcing, simple past and past participle divorced)

  1. (transitive) To legally dissolve a marriage between two people.
    A ship captain can marry couples, but cannot divorce them.
  2. (transitive) To end one's own marriage in this way.
    Lucy divorced Steve when she discovered that he had been unfaithful.
  3. (transitive) To separate something that was connected.
    The radical group voted to divorce itself from the main faction and start an independent movement.
  4. (intransitive) To obtain a legal divorce.
    Edna and Simon divorced last year; he got the house, and she retained the business.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

French

Etymology

From Latin divortium.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /di.vɔʁs/

Noun

divorce m ‎(plural divorces)

  1. divorce

Verb

divorce

  1. first-person singular present indicative of divorcer
  2. third-person singular present indicative of divorcer
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of divorcer
  4. first-person singular present subjunctive of divorcer
  5. second-person singular imperative of divorcer

Etymology

From Old French divorce, from Latin dīvortium, from dīvertere ‎(“to turn aside”), from dī- ‎(“apart”) + vertere ‎(“to turn”); see verse.

Pronunciation

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