Divorce
Divorce , noun
[French divorce, Latin divortium, from divortere, divertere, to turn different ways, to separate. See Divert.]
1.
(a) (Law) A legal dissolution of the marriage contract by a court or other body having competent authority. This is properly a divorce, and called, technically, divorce a vinculo matrimonii.
(b)
(Law) The separation of a married woman from the bed and board of her husband -- divorce a mensa et toro (or a mensa et thoro), “from bed and board”.
from the bond of matrimony.
2.
The decree or writing by which marriage is dissolved.
3.
Separation; disunion of things closely united.
To make divorce of their incorporate league.
4.
That which separates. [Obsolete] — Shakespeare
Collocations (1)
Bill of divorce , See under Bill.
Divorce , transitive verb
[Compare French divorcer. See Divorce, n.]
1.
To dissolve the marriage contract of, either wholly or partially; to separate by divorce.
2.
To separate or disunite; to sunder.
It [a word] was divorced from its old sense.
3.
To make away; to put away.
Nothing but death
Shall e'er divorce my dignities.