Library / English Dictionary

    SEPARATE

     I. (noun) 

    Sense 1

    Meaning:

    A garment that can be purchased separately and worn in combinations with other garmentsplay

    Classified under:

    Nouns denoting man-made objects

    Hypernyms ("separate" is a kind of...):

    garment (an article of clothing)

    Sense 2

    Meaning:

    A separately printed article that originally appeared in a larger publicationplay

    Synonyms:

    offprint; reprint; separate

    Classified under:

    Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

    Hypernyms ("separate" is a kind of...):

    article (nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication)

     II. (adjective) 

    Sense 1

    Meaning:

    Standing apart; not attached to or supported by anythingplay

    Example:

    a house with a separate garage

    Synonyms:

    freestanding; separate

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    detached (used of buildings; standing apart from others)

    Sense 2

    Meaning:

    Have the connection undone; having become separateplay

    Synonyms:

    disjoined; separate

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    unconnected (not joined or linked together)

    Sense 3

    Meaning:

    Separated according to race, sex, class, or religionplay

    Example:

    girls and boys in separate classes

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    segregated; unintegrated (separated or isolated from others or a main group)

    Derivation:

    separateness (the quality of being not alike; being distinct or different from that otherwise experienced or known)

    separateness (the state of being several and distinct)

    Sense 4

    Meaning:

    Independent; not united or jointplay

    Example:

    formed a separate church

    Classified under:

    Adjectives

    Similar:

    apart (having characteristics not shared by others)

    asunder (widely separated especially in space)

    detached; isolated; separated; set-apart (being or feeling set or kept apart from others)

    discrete; distinct (constituting a separate entity or part)

    disjoint (having no elements in common)

    disjunct; isolated (marked by separation of or from usually contiguous elements)

    isolable (capable of being isolated or disjoined)

    unaccompanied ((of a state or an event) taking place without something specified occurring at the same time)

    Also:

    individual; single (being or characteristic of a single thing or person)

    independent (free from external control and constraint)

    segregated; unintegrated (separated or isolated from others or a main group)

    other (not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied)

    unshared (not shared)

    divided (separated into parts or pieces)

    Attribute:

    separation (the state of lacking unity)

    Antonym:

    joint (united or combined)

    Derivation:

    separateness (the state of being several and distinct)

     III. (verb) 

    Verb forms

    Present simple: I / you / we / they separate ... he / she / it separates

    Past simple: separated  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation

    Past participle: separated  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation

    -ing form: separating  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation

    Sense 1

    Meaning:

    Divide into two or more branches so as to form a forkplay

    Example:

    The road forks

    Synonyms:

    branch; fork; furcate; ramify; separate

    Classified under:

    Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

    Hypernyms (to "separate" is one way to...):

    diverge (move or draw apart)

    Verb group:

    branch; ramify (grow and send out branches or branch-like structures)

    Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "separate"):

    arborise; arborize (branch out like trees)

    twig (branch out in a twiglike manner)

    bifurcate (divide into two branches)

    trifurcate (divide into three)

    Sentence frame:

    Something ----s

    Sense 2

    Meaning:

    Become separated into pieces or fragmentsplay

    Example:

    The freshly baked loaf fell apart

    Synonyms:

    break; come apart; fall apart; separate; split up

    Classified under:

    Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

    Hypernyms (to "separate" is one way to...):

    change integrity (change in physical make-up)

    Verb group:

    break (destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments)

    Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "separate"):

    break open; burst; split (come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure)

    puncture (be pierced or punctured)

    burst; bust (break open or apart suddenly and forcefully)

    smash (break suddenly into pieces, as from a violent blow)

    ladder; run (come unraveled or undone as if by snagging)

    crack; snap (break suddenly and abruptly, as under tension)

    break up; fragment; fragmentise; fragmentize (break or cause to break into pieces)

    crush (become injured, broken, or distorted by pressure)

    Sentence frame:

    Something ----s

    Sense 3

    Meaning:

    Mark as differentplay

    Example:

    We distinguish several kinds of maple

    Synonyms:

    differentiate; distinguish; secern; secernate; separate; severalise; severalize; tell; tell apart

    Classified under:

    Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

    Hypernyms (to "separate" is one way to...):

    identify; place (recognize as being; establish the identity of someone or something)

    "Separate" entails doing...:

    compare (examine and note the similarities or differences of)

    Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "separate"):

    know (be able to distinguish, recognize as being different)

    discriminate; know apart (recognize or perceive the difference)

    label (distinguish (an element or atom) by using a radioactive isotope or an isotope of unusual mass for tracing through chemical reactions)

    label (distinguish (as a compound or molecule) by introducing a labeled atom)

    sex (tell the sex (of young chickens))

    individualise; individualize (make or mark or treat as individual)

    contrast (put in opposition to show or emphasize differences)

    have the distinction (be distinguished from others of a similar type by virtue of a notable characteristic)

    severalise; severalize (distinguish or separate)

    contradistinguish (distinguish by contrasting qualities)

    decouple; dissociate (regard as unconnected)

    demarcate (separate clearly, as if by boundaries)

    discriminate; separate; single out (treat differently on the basis of sex or race)

    stratify (divide society into social classes or castes)

    Sentence frames:

    Somebody ----s something
    Somebody ----s somebody
    Somebody ----s something from somebody

    Sense 4

    Meaning:

    Arrange or order by classes or categoriesplay

    Example:

    How would you classify these pottery shards--are they prehistoric?

    Synonyms:

    assort; class; classify; separate; sort; sort out

    Classified under:

    Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

    Hypernyms (to "separate" is one way to...):

    categorise; categorize (place into or assign to a category)

    "Separate" entails doing...:

    compare (examine and note the similarities or differences of)

    Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "separate"):

    unitise; unitize (separate or classify into units)

    catalog; catalogue (make an itemized list or catalog of; classify)

    isolate (separate (experiences) from the emotions relating to them)

    refer (think of, regard, or classify under a subsuming principle or with a general group or in relation to another)

    reclassify (classify anew, change the previous classification)

    size (sort according to size)

    dichotomise; dichotomize (divide into two opposing groups or kinds)

    pigeonhole; stamp; stereotype (treat or classify according to a mental stereotype)

    group (arrange into a group or groups)

    grade (determine the grade of or assign a grade to)

    count; number (put into a group)

    Sentence frames:

    Somebody ----s something
    Somebody ----s somebody

    Sense 5

    Meaning:

    Divide into components or constituentsplay

    Example:

    Separate the wheat from the chaff

    Classified under:

    Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

    Hypernyms (to "separate" is one way to...):

    change integrity (change in physical make-up)

    Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "separate"):

    break down; break up; decompose (separate (substances) into constituent elements or parts)

    dialyse; dialyze (separate by dialysis)

    peptise; peptize (disperse in a medium into a colloidal state)

    macerate (separate into constituents by soaking)

    card; tease (separate the fibers of)

    filter; filter out; filtrate; separate out; strain (remove by passing through a filter)

    extract (separate (a metal) from an ore)

    fractionate (obtain by a fractional process)

    fractionate (separate into constituents or fractions containing concentrated constituents)

    sieve; sift; strain (separate by passing through a sieve or other straining device to separate out coarser elements)

    wash (separate dirt or gravel from (precious minerals))

    disperse (separate (light) into spectral rays)

    avulse (separate by avulsion)

    Sentence frames:

    Somebody ----s something
    Something ----s something

    Derivation:

    separation (sorting one thing from others)

    separator (an apparatus that uses centrifugal force to separate particles from a suspension)

    Sense 6

    Meaning:

    Force, take, or pull apartplay

    Example:

    Moses parted the Red Sea

    Synonyms:

    disunite; divide; part; separate

    Classified under:

    Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

    Hypernyms (to "separate" is one way to...):

    displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

    Cause:

    divide; part; separate (come apart)

    Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "separate"):

    compartmentalise; compartmentalize; cut up (separate into isolated compartments or categories)

    polarise; polarize (cause to concentrate about two conflicting or contrasting positions)

    isolate; keep apart; sequester; sequestrate; set apart (set apart from others)

    disjoin; disjoint (make disjoint, separated, or disconnected; undo the joining of)

    disarticulate; disjoint (separate at the joints)

    disconnect (make disconnected, disjoin or unfasten)

    cut (separate with or as if with an instrument)

    tear (to separate or be separated by force)

    joint (separate (meat) at the joint)

    gin (separate the seeds from (cotton) with a cotton gin)

    break (separate from a clinch, in boxing)

    break up; sever (set or keep apart)

    bust; rupture; snap; tear (separate or cause to separate abruptly)

    Sentence frames:

    Somebody ----s something
    Somebody ----s somebody
    Something ----s somebody
    Something ----s something
    Somebody ----s something from somebody

    Derivation:

    separation (the act of dividing or disconnecting)

    Sense 7

    Meaning:

    Come apartplay

    Example:

    The two pieces that we had glued separated

    Synonyms:

    divide; part; separate

    Classified under:

    Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

    Hypernyms (to "separate" is one way to...):

    change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

    Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "separate"):

    subdivide (form into subdivisions)

    polarise; polarize (become polarized in a conflict or contrasting situation)

    break up; calve (release ice)

    break away; break off; chip; chip off; come off (break off (a piece from a whole))

    disjoin; disjoint (become separated, disconnected or disjoint)

    come away; come off; detach (come to be detached)

    segregate (divide from the main body or mass and collect)

    segment (divide or split up)

    reduce (undergo meiosis)

    section; segment (divide into segments)

    partition; partition off (divide into parts, pieces, or sections)

    discerp; dismember; take apart (divide into pieces)

    gerrymander (divide unfairly and to one's advantage; of voting districts)

    Sentence frame:

    Something ----s

    Derivation:

    separation (coming apart)

    Sense 8

    Meaning:

    Go one's own way; move apartplay

    Example:

    The friends separated after the party

    Synonyms:

    part; separate; split

    Classified under:

    Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

    Hypernyms (to "separate" is one way to...):

    move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

    Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "separate"):

    disperse; dissipate; scatter; spread out (move away from each other)

    break up (come apart)

    diffract (undergo diffraction)

    Sentence frames:

    Something ----s
    Somebody ----s

    Derivation:

    separation (the social act of separating or parting company)

    Sense 9

    Meaning:

    Make a division or separationplay

    Synonyms:

    divide; separate

    Classified under:

    Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

    Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "separate"):

    partition; zone (separate or apportion into sections)

    break (destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments)

    break up; dispel; disperse; dissipate; scatter (to cause to separate and go in different directions)

    rail; rail off (separate with a railing)

    detach (separate (a small unit) from a larger, especially for a special assignment)

    close off; shut off (isolate or separate)

    Sentence frames:

    Somebody ----s something
    Somebody ----s somebody
    Something ----s somebody
    Something ----s something

    Derivation:

    separative (serving to separate or divide into parts)

    Sense 10

    Meaning:

    Discontinue an association or relation; go different waysplay

    Example:

    My friend and I split up

    Synonyms:

    break; break up; part; separate; split; split up

    Classified under:

    Verbs of political and social activities and events

    Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "separate"):

    give the axe; give the bounce; give the gate (terminate a relationship abruptly)

    break apart; disunify (break up or separate)

    disassociate; disjoint; dissociate; disunite; divorce (part; cease or break association with)

    break with (end a relationship)

    divorce; split up (get a divorce; formally terminate a marriage)

    break away; secede; splinter (withdraw from an organization or communion)

    break; break away (interrupt a continued activity)

    Sentence frame:

    Somebody ----s

    Derivation:

    separation ((law) the cessation of cohabitation of man and wife (either by mutual agreement or under a court order))

    separatist (an advocate of secession or separation from a larger group (such as an established church or a national union))

    Sense 11

    Meaning:

    Separate into parts or portionsplay

    Example:

    The British carved up the Ottoman Empire after World War I

    Synonyms:

    carve up; dissever; divide; separate; split; split up

    Classified under:

    Verbs of political and social activities and events

    Hypernyms (to "separate" is one way to...):

    change integrity (change in physical make-up)

    Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "separate"):

    subdivide (divide into smaller and smaller pieces)

    format; initialise; initialize (divide (a disk) into marked sectors so that it may store data)

    sectionalise; sectionalize (divide into sections, especially into geographic sections)

    triangulate (divide into triangles or give a triangular form to)

    unitise; unitize (divide (bulk material) and process as units)

    lot (divide into lots, as of land, for example)

    parcel (divide into parts)

    sliver; splinter (divide into slivers or splinters)

    paragraph (divide into paragraphs, as of text)

    canton (divide into cantons, of a country)

    Balkanise; Balkanize (divide a territory into small, hostile states)

    Sentence frames:

    Somebody ----s something
    Somebody ----s somebody
    Something ----s somebody
    Something ----s something

    Sense 12

    Meaning:

    Treat differently on the basis of sex or raceplay

    Synonyms:

    discriminate; separate; single out

    Classified under:

    Verbs of political and social activities and events

    Hypernyms (to "separate" is one way to...):

    differentiate; distinguish; secern; secernate; separate; severalise; severalize; tell; tell apart (mark as different)

    Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "separate"):

    insulate; isolate (place or set apart)

    hive off (remove from a group and make separate)

    segregate (separate by race or religion; practice a policy of racial segregation)

    redline (discriminate in selling or renting housing in certain areas of a neighborhood)

    disadvantage; disfavor; disfavour (put at a disadvantage; hinder, harm)

    Sentence frames:

    Somebody ----s something
    Somebody ----s somebody

    Derivation:

    separative (serving to separate or divide into parts)

    Sense 13

    Meaning:

    Act as a barrier between; stand betweenplay

    Example:

    The mountain range divides the two countries

    Synonyms:

    divide; separate

    Classified under:

    Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

    Sentence frame:

    Something ----s something

    Credits

     Context examples: 

    The young woman separated one of the forms.

    (The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

    Our drawing class breaks up next week, and before the girls separate for the summer, I want to ask them out here for a day.

    (Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

    Now I was in the last belt of trees which separated me from Fort Challenger.

    (The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

    It strikes me as unnatural and unhealthful that men should be totally separated from women and herd through the world by themselves.

    (The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

    This trend was seen for separate causes of death, as well as when all causes were combined.

    (Greenness around homes linked to lower mortality, NIH)

    The groups of the epithelioid cells are separated by thin-walled sinusoidal spaces.

    (Alveolar soft part sarcoma, NCI Thesaurus)

    A low grade carcinoma of the kidney characterized by the presence of tubules which are separated by mucinous stroma.

    (Mucinous Tubular and Spindle Cell Carcinoma of the Kidney, NCI Thesaurus)

    The two membranes are separated by an intermembrane space.

    (Mitochondrial Membrane, NCI Thesaurus)

    Substances that have holes or pores on the nanoscale, used, for example, to separate particles or molecules by size.

    (Nanoporous, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

    It separates the DNA of the cell from the cytosol.

    (Nuclear Membrane, NCI Thesaurus)


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