Split

Pronunciation

• enPR: splÄ­t, IPA: /splɪt/

Origin

c. 1567, from Middle Dutch splitten, from Proto-Germanic *splītaną (compare Frisian/Danish splitte, German spleißen), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)plei- 'to split, splice' (compare Old English speld 'splinter', Old High German spaltan 'to split', Old Irish sliss 'splinter', Latin spolium 'stripped hide', Lithuanian spaliai 'flax shives', Old Church Slavonic rasplatiti 'to cleave, split', Ancient Greek aspalon 'skin, hide', spólas 'flayed skin', Albanian fli ("sacrifice, offering"), Sanskrit sphaṭati 'it bursts').

Adjective

1. See split verb.Republicans appear split on the centerpiece of Mr. Obama's economic recovery plan.
• 2011, December 19, Kerry Brown, Kim Jong-il obituary, With the descent of the cold war, relations between the two countries (for this is, to all intents and purposes, what they became after the end of the war) were almost completely broken off, with whole families split for the ensuing decades, some for ever.
2. (algebra, of a short exact sequence) Having the middle group equal to the direct product of the others.
3. Comprising half decaffeinated and half caffeinated espresso.

Derived terms

• split-shot

Full definition of split

Noun

1. A crack or longitudinal fissure.
2. A breach or separation, as in a political party; a division.
3. A piece that is split off, or made thin, by splitting; a splinter; a fragment.
4. (leather manufacture) One of the sections of a skin made by dividing it into two or more thicknesses.
5. (gymnastics, usually in the phrase “to do the splits”) The acrobatic feat of spreading the legs flat on the floor 180 degrees apart, either sideways to the body or with one leg in front and one behind.
6. (baseball, slang) A split-finger fastball.He’s got a nasty split.
7. (bowling) A result of a first throw that leaves two or more pins standing with one or more pins between them knocked down.
8. A dessert or confection resembling a banana split.
9. A unit of measure used for champagne or other spirits: 18.75 centiliter or 1/4 quarter of a standard .75 liter bottle. Commercially comparable to 1/20th (US) gallon, which is 1/2 of a fifth.
10. A bottle of wine containing 0.375 liters, 1/2 the volume of a standard .75 liter bottle; a demi.
11. (athletics) The elapsed time at specific intermediate point(s) in a race.In the 3000m race, his 800m split was 1:45.32
12. (construction) A tear resulting from tensile stresses.
13. (gambling) A division of a stake happening when two cards of the kind on which the stake is laid are dealt in the same turn.
14. (music) A recording containing songs by multiple artists.

Verb

1. (transitive, ergative) Of something solid, to divide fully or partly along a more or less straight line.
   He has split his lip.
• Robert Boyle (1627-1691)a huge vessel of exceeding hard marble split asunder by congealed water
2. (transitive) To share; to divide.
   We split the money among three people.
• 2013, Katie L. Burke, In the News, The critical component of the photosynthetic system is the “water-oxidizing complex”, made up of manganese atoms and a calcium atom. This system splits water molecules and delivers some of their electrons to other molecules that help build up carbohydrates.
3. (slang) To leave.
   Let's split this scene and see if we can find a real party.
4. to separate or break up.
   Did you hear Dick and Jane split? They'll probably get a divorce.
5. To be broken; to be dashed to pieces.
• ShakespeareThe ship splits on the rock.
6. To burst out laughing.
• Alexander PopeEach had a gravity would make you split.
7. (slang, dated) To divulge a secret; to betray confidence; to peach.
8. (sports) In athletics (esp. baseball), when both teams involved in a doubleheader each win one game and lose another game.
   Boston split with Philadelphia in a doubleheader, winning the first game 3-1 before losing 2-0 in the nightcap.

9. split

   (past of split)

Derived terms

• side-splitting
• split up (verb)

Anagrams

• slipt
• spilt