The difference between Divide and Separate

When used as nouns, divide means a thing that divides, whereas separate means anything that is sold by itself, especially an article of clothing.

When used as verbs, divide means to split or separate (something) into two or more parts, whereas separate means to divide (a thing) into separate parts.


Separate is also adjective with the meaning: apart from (the rest).

check bellow for the other definitions of Divide and Separate

  1. Divide as a verb (transitive):

    To split or separate (something) into two or more parts.

    Examples:

    "a wall divides two houses; a stream divides the towns"

  2. Divide as a verb (transitive):

    To share (something) by dividing it.

    Examples:

    "How shall we divide this pie?"

  3. Divide as a verb (transitive, arithmetic):

    To calculate the number (the quotient) by which you must multiply one given number (the divisor) to produce a second given number (the dividend).

    Examples:

    "If you divide 6 by 3, you get 2."

  4. Divide as a verb (transitive, arithmetic):

    To be a divisor of.

    Examples:

    "3 divides 6."

  5. Divide as a verb (intransitive):

    To separate into two or more parts.

  6. Divide as a verb (intransitive, biology):

    Of a cell, to reproduce by dividing.

  7. Divide as a verb:

    To disunite in opinion or interest; to make discordant or hostile; to set at variance.

  8. Divide as a verb (obsolete):

    To break friendship; to fall out.

  9. Divide as a verb (obsolete):

    To have a share; to partake.

  10. Divide as a verb:

    To vote, as in the British Parliament, by the members separating themselves into two parties (as on opposite sides of the hall or in opposite lobbies), that is, the ayes dividing from the noes.

  11. Divide as a verb:

    To mark divisions on; to graduate.

    Examples:

    "to divide a sextant"

  12. Divide as a verb (music):

    To play or sing in a florid style, or with variations.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Spenser"

  1. Divide as a noun:

    A thing that divides.

    Examples:

    "Stay on your side of the divide, please."

  2. Divide as a noun:

    An act of dividing.

    Examples:

    "The divide left most of the good land on my share of the property."

  3. Divide as a noun:

    A distancing between two people or things.

    Examples:

    "There is a great divide between us."

  4. Divide as a noun (geography):

    A large chasm, gorge, or ravine between two areas of land.

    Examples:

    "If you're heading to the coast, you'll have to cross the divide first."

    "The team crossed streams and jumped across deep, narrow divides in the glacier.'' [[File:The team crossed streams and jumped across deep, narrow divides in the glacier.ogg]]"

  1. Separate as an adjective:

    Apart from (the rest); not connected to or attached to (anything else).

    Examples:

    "This chair can be disassembled into five separate pieces."

  2. Separate as an adjective (followed by “from”):

    Not together (with); not united (to).

    Examples:

    "I try to keep my personal life separate from work."

  1. Separate as a verb (transitive):

    To divide (a thing) into separate parts.

    Examples:

    "'Separate the articles from the headings."

  2. Separate as a verb:

    To disunite something from one thing; To disconnect.

  3. Separate as a verb (transitive):

    To cause (things or people) to be separate.

    Examples:

    "If the kids get too noisy, separate them for a few minutes."

  4. Separate as a verb (intransitive):

    To divide itself into separate pieces or substances.

    Examples:

    "The sauce will separate if you don't keep stirring."

  5. Separate as a verb (obsolete):

    To set apart; to select from among others, as for a special use or service.

  1. Separate as a noun (usually, in the plural):

    Anything that is sold by itself, especially an article of clothing.