DictionaryAI

divorce

USdi-VORS/dɪˈvɔɹs/UKdi-VAWS/dɪˈvɔːs/

Pluraldivorces

Verbdivorces, divorcing, divorced

8 meanings of divorce

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable or uncountable
    The legal ending of a marriage, decided by a court.

    Like cutting the legal knot that ties two married people together.

    After years of fighting, they decided to get a divorce.

    Her parents went through a difficult divorce last year.

    Similardissolution, separation, breakup, split

    Oppositemarriage

    Note
  2. 2
    verbtransitive
    To officially end your marriage to your husband or wife.

    She divorced her husband after ten years of marriage.

    He threatened to divorce her if things did not change.

    Oppositemarry, wed

  3. 3
    verbintransitive
    To go through the legal steps that end your marriage.

    They decided to divorce after years of growing apart.

    My grandparents divorced when my mother was young.

    Similarseparate, split

    Oppositemarry, wed

  4. 4
    verbtransitive
    To officially end the marriage of two people, as a court does.

    The judge divorced the couple after a brief hearing.

    Only a court can divorce two people who are legally married.

    Oppositemarry, wed

    Note
  5. 5
    nounusually singular
    A complete split between two things that were joined or worked together.

    Like pulling apart two pieces of paper that were glued together.

    There is a growing divorce between what leaders say and what they do.

    The divorce of theory from practice can weaken any field.

    Similarseparation, split, disconnection, gap, gulf

    Oppositeunion, connection

    Note
  6. 6
    verbtransitive
    To split apart two things that were joined or linked.

    We should not divorce hard work from fair reward.

    The reforms divorced the church from the state.

    Similarseparate, detach, disconnect, isolate, divide

    Oppositeconnect, join, link, unite

    Note
  7. 7
    nouncountable or uncountable
    The breaking of the bond between two animals that had paired up together.

    Like two birds that built a nest together splitting up to find new mates.

    Among some birds, divorce happens when a pair fails to breed successfully.

    Scientists recorded a rare divorce between the two swans.

    Similarseparation, breakup, split

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 8
    nounobsoletecountable
    Something that splits two things apart or keeps them divided.

    Like a wall standing between two gardens, keeping them apart.

    Death proved the only divorce that could part the devoted couple.

    Go with me like good angels to my end; / And as the long divorce of steel falls on me, / Make of your prayers one sweet sacrifice, / And lift my soul to heaven. Lead on, o' God's name.
    c. 1613, William Shakespeare, John FletcherHere, divorce means something that separates or cuts apart.
    Note

Practice

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Origin

From Latin, based on a word meaning "to turn aside," made from parts meaning "apart" and "to turn." It came into English through Old French.