split
verb OPAL S
/splɪt/
/splɪt/
Verb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they split | /splɪt/ /splɪt/ |
| he / she / it splits | /splɪts/ /splɪts/ |
| past simple split | /splɪt/ /splɪt/ |
| past participle split | /splɪt/ /splɪt/ |
| -ing form splitting | /ˈsplɪtɪŋ/ /ˈsplɪtɪŋ/ |
- [transitive, intransitive] to divide, or to make something divide, into two or more parts
- split something He was a member of the team that split the atom in 1932.
- The Turkish invasion of the northern part of Cyprus ended with the island split in two.
- Split the coconut in half.
- split something into something She split the class into groups of four.
- Each chapter is split into two parts.
- split into something The results split neatly into two groups.
- Slate splits easily into thin sheets.
- If the nail you use is too big, there's a chance that the wood will split.
Extra Examples- He split the log into several pieces.
- On January 1 1993, Czechoslovakia formally split into two independent states.
- Plastic splits quite easily.
- Which scientist first split the atom?
- I was put to work splitting wood for the fire.
- [transitive] to divide something into two or more parts and share it between different people, activities, etc.
- split something with somebody She split the money she won with her brother.
- split something The two men agreed to split the proceeds.
- We share a house and split all the bills.
- split something between A and B His time is split between the London and Paris offices.
Extra Examples- Four of us live here and we split all the bills four ways.
- The profit will be split three ways.
- The cost has been split equally between three countries.
- She splits her time between Madrid and Washington.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- equally
- evenly
- among
- between
- split something two, three, etc. ways
- split the difference
- split your time between something and something
- …
- [intransitive, transitive] to divide, or to make a group of people divide, into smaller groups that have very different opinions
- split on/over something The committee split over government subsidies.
- split something His candidacy split the Republican vote.
- split from something The sect split from the Mormon church more than a hundred years ago.
- be split on/over something The party is deeply split on this issue.
- The poll found the public evenly split on the issue.
- The community was split down the middle on this.
Extra ExamplesTopics Opinion and argumentb2- The party finally split over the issue of gun control.
- Several factions split from the party.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- eventually
- finally
- apart
- …
- from
- into
- on
- …
- be deeply split
- [intransitive, transitive] to tear, or to make something tear, along a straight line
- Her dress had split along the seam.
- split something Don't tell me you've split another pair of pants!
- split open The cushion split open and sent feathers everywhere.
- split something open He split the packet open and poured out a handful of peanuts.
Extra Examples- The ripe seed pod splits open and scatters the seeds.
- The lid had split down the middle.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- easily
- apart
- open
- …
- into
- [transitive] to cut somebody’s skin and make it bleed
- split something open She split her head open on the cupboard door.
- She fell downstairs and split her head open.
- split something How did you split your lip?
- [intransitive] (informal) to leave somebody and stop having a relationship with them
- split (with somebody) The singer split with his wife last June.
- split (from somebody) She intends to split from the band at the end of the tour.
- [intransitive] (old-fashioned, informal) to leave a place quickly
- Let's split!
divide
tear
cut
end relationship
leave
Word Originlate 16th cent. (originally in the sense ‘break up a ship’, describing the force of a storm or rock): from Middle Dutch splitten, of unknown ultimate origin.
Idioms
split the difference
- (when discussing a price, etc.) to agree on an amount that is at an equal distance between the two amounts that have been suggested
- I offered €200 but he wanted €300. In the end, we split the difference and I paid him €250.
- (figurative) I wanted to leave early and Ian wanted to leave late, so we split the difference and left at noon.
split/divide (something) down the middle
- to divide something into two equal parts; to divide into two equal parts
- The country was split down the middle over the strike (= half supported it, half did not).
- Divide the cake down the middle.
- It would seem the community has divided down the middle, with some favouring expansion and some dead set against it.
split hairs
- to pay too much attention in an argument to differences that are very small and not importantTopics Opinion and argumentc2
split an infinitive
- to place an adverb between ‘to’ and the infinitive of a verb, for example to say ‘to strongly deny the report’. Some people consider this to be bad English style.
split your sides (laughing/with laughter)
- to laugh a lot at somebody/something
split the ticket
- (US English, politics) to vote for candidates from more than one party