*divis*

n. classification according to more than one attribute at the same time.
Syn. -- cross-classification. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. F. divisibilité. ] The quality of being divisible; the property of bodies by which their parts are capable of separation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Divisibility . . . is a primary attribute of matter. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. divisibilis, fr. dividere: cf. F. divisible. See Divide. ] Capable of being divided or separated. [ 1913 Webster ]

Extended substance . . . is divisible into parts. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Divisible contract (Law), a contract containing agreements one of which can be separated from the other. --
Divisible offense (Law), an offense containing a lesser offense in one of a greater grade, so that on the latter there can be an acquittal, while on the former there can be a conviction.

-- Di*vis"i*ble*ness, n. -- Di*vis"i*bly, adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A divisible substance. Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. division, L. divisio, from dividere. See Divide. ] 1. The act or process of diving anything into parts, or the state of being so divided; separation. [ 1913 Webster ]

I was overlooked in the division of the spoil. Gibbon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which divides or keeps apart; a partition. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The portion separated by the divining of a mass or body; a distinct segment or section. [ 1913 Webster ]

Communities and divisions of men. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Disunion; difference in opinion or feeling; discord; variance; alienation. [ 1913 Webster ]

There was a division among the people. John vii. 43. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Difference of condition; state of distinction; distinction; contrast. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

I will put a division between my people and thy people. Ex. viii. 23. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Separation of the members of a deliberative body, esp. of the Houses of Parliament, to ascertain the vote. [ 1913 Webster ]

The motion passed without a division. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Math.) The process of finding how many times one number or quantity is contained in another; the reverse of multiplication; also, the rule by which the operation is performed. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Logic) The separation of a genus into its constituent species. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Mil.) (a) Two or more brigades under the command of a general officer. (b) Two companies of infantry maneuvering as one subdivision of a battalion. (c) One of the larger districts into which a country is divided for administering military affairs. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. (Naut.) One of the groups into which a fleet is divided. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. (Mus.) A course of notes so running into each other as to form one series or chain, to be sung in one breath to one syllable. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. (Rhet.) The distribution of a discourse into parts; a part so distinguished. [ 1913 Webster ]

13. (Biol.) A grade or rank in classification; a portion of a tribe or of a class; or, in some recent authorities, equivalent to a subkingdom. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cell division (Biol.), a method of cell increase, in which new cells are formed by the division of the parent cell. In this process, the cell nucleus undergoes peculiar differentiations and changes, as shown in the figure (see also Karyokinesis). At the same time the protoplasm of the cell becomes gradually constricted by a furrow transverse to the long axis of the nuclear spindle, followed, on the completion of the division of the nucleus, by a separation of the cell contents into two masses, called the daughter cells. --
Long division (Math.), the process of division when the operations are mostly written down. --
Short division (Math.), the process of division when the operations are mentally performed and only the results written down; -- used principally when the divisor is not greater than ten or twelve.

Syn. -- compartment; section; share; allotment; distribution; separation; partition; disjunction; disconnection; difference; variance; discord; disunion. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. That divides; pertaining to, making, or noting, a division; as, a divisional line; a divisional general; a divisional surgeon of police. [ 1913 Webster ]

Divisional planes (Geol.), planes of separation between rock masses. They include joints. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. So as to be divisional. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Divisional. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who divides or makes division. [ Obs. ] Sheldon. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. divisif. ] 1. Indicating division or distribution. Mede. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Creating, or tending to create, division, separation, or difference. [ 1913 Webster ]

It [ culture ] is after all a dainty and divisive quality, and can not reach to the depths of humanity. J. C. Shairp.

-- Di*vi"sive*ly, adv. -- Di*vi"sive*ness, n. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., fr. dividere. See Divide. ] (Math.) The number by which the dividend is divided. [ 1913 Webster ]

Common divisor. (Math.) See under Common, a. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. indivisibilité. ] The state or property of being indivisible or inseparable; inseparability. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. indivisibilis: cf. F. indivisible. See In- not, and Divisible. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Not divisible; incapable of being divided, separated, or broken; not separable into parts. “One indivisible point of time.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Math.) Not capable of exact division, as one quantity by another; incommensurable. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. That which is indivisible. [ 1913 Webster ]

By atom, nobody will imagine we intend to express a perfect indivisible, but only the least sort of natural bodies. Digby. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Geom.) An infinitely small quantity which is assumed to admit of no further division. [ 1913 Webster ]

Method of indivisibles, a kind of calculus, formerly in use, in which lines were considered as made up of an infinite number of points; surfaces, as made up of an infinite number of lines; and volumes, as made up of an infinite number of surfaces. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being indivisible; indivisibility. W. Montagu. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an indivisible manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. in- not + division: cf. F. indivision, LL. indivisio. ] A state of being not divided; oneness. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Wrong division. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being recidivous; relapse, specif. (Criminology), a falling back or relapse into prior criminal habits, esp. after conviction and punishment. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

The old English system of recognizances, in which the guilty party deposits a sum of money, is an excellent guarantee to society against recidivism. Havelock Ellis. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. One who is recidivous or is characterized by recidivism; an incorrigible criminal. -- Re*cid`i*vis"tic a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

The criminal by passion never becomes a recidivist, it is the social, not the antisocial, instincts that are strong within him, his crime is a solitary event in his life. Havelock Ellis. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

a. Susceptible of subdivision. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. subdivisio: cf. F. subdivision. ] 1. The act of subdividing, or separating a part into smaller parts. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A part of a thing made by subdividing. [ 1913 Webster ]

In the decimal table, the subdivision of the cubit, as span, palm, and digit, are deduced from the shorter cubit. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]