division Hear it!

division Definition

di·vi·sion (də viz̸h′ən)

noun

  1. a dividing or being divided; separation
  2. a sharing or apportioning; distribution
  3. a difference of opinion; disagreement
  4. a separation into groups in voting
  5. anything that divides; partition; boundary
  6. anything separated or distinguished from the whole or from the larger unit of which it is a part, as
    1. a particular section of a country, state, etc. divided off as for administration
    2. a particular department of a government, business, school, or other organization
    3. a particular rank or kind, as of students or athletes, based on achievement, age, sex, etc.
    4. a segment, as of the body
  7. Biol. a major category in the classification of living organisms, esp. plants, ranking above a class and below a kingdom: it can include one class or many similar classes: the Latinized division names are capitalized but not italicized (Ex.: Pinophyta, gymnosperms)
  8. Hort. a form of plant propagation in which new plants are grown from segments detached from the parent plant
  9. Math. the process of finding how many times a number (the divisor) is contained in another number (the dividend): the number of times equals the quotient
  10. Mil. a major tactical or administrative unit that can act independently and is under one command; specif.,
    1. an army unit larger than a regiment and smaller than a corps, to which various numbers and types of battalions can be attached as required
    2. a tactical subdivision of a naval squadron
    3. an air force unit of two or more combat wings

Etymology: ME divisioun < L divisio < divisus, pp. of dividere

division Related Forms
di·vi′·sional adjective
division Synonyms

division

n.

  1. The act or result of dividing

    separation, separating, detachment, apportionment, sharing, partition, parting, partitioning, distribution, severance, divorce, dissociation, cutting, disseverance, carving, subdivision, subdividing, dismemberment, disconnecting, disconnection, distinction, distinguishing, classification, selection, segmenting, segmentation, sectioning, parceling, analysis, diagnosis, dissection, autopsy, reduction, breaking down, breaking up, compartmentalization, districting, rending, scissure, splitting, disuniting, disunion, disassociation, breaking, breakdown, fracture, fissure, branching, divergence, bisection, bipartition, demarcation, disjuncture, contrasting, departmentalizing, schizogenesis, fission, schizogony, mitosis, meiosis.

    Antonyms union*, joining, gluing.

  2. A part produced by dividing

    section, kind, sort, portion, compartment, share, split, member, subdivision, parcel, segment, fragment, sector, department, category, branch, ramification, fraction, dividend, measure, percentage, percentile, degree, piece, slice, lump, wedge, cut, lobe, front, movement, column, book, chapter, decade, verse, canto, phrase, clause, line, paragraph, act, scene, episode, passage, apartment, cell, class, moiety, race, clan, tribe, caste, group, unit; see also army 2, class 1, 2, 3, department 1, 2, part 1.

  3. Discord or disunion

    dissension, disagreement, breach, schism; see sense 1; disagreement 1, dispute.

  4. Something that divides

    dividing line, partition, boundary, divider; see barrier, boundary.

  5. An organized area

    province, country, state, dominion, shire, department, district, county, municipality, city, town, canton, village, commune, ward, township, residency, constituency, bishopric, prelacy, parish, range; see also nation 1, territory 2. See syn. study at part.

division Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • transcend: Ultimately, if republicans are serious about creating a republic based on universal concepts of citizenship they need to transcend the old ethnic divisions.

Converse of subject

  • propagate: Cultivars should be propagated by division or cuttings only.

Adjective modifier

  • electoral: The Community of Lisvane forms the Lisvane electoral division of the County Council with 2,676 electors represented by 1 county councilor.
  • sectarian: He has written widely on the theme of sport and sectarian division.
  • 1st: Build up your own team with the 4 Basque soccer teams actually playing in the 1st Division of the Spanish League.
  • armored: This comprised of 45 divisions, including 7 armored divisions.
  • 3rd: The 3rd Division along with the 12th SP Brigade tried in vain to contain the US 7th Corps advance.
  • 4th: Currently the coalition command is deciding how better use the 4th Infantry Division.

Modifies a noun

  • cavalry: The division cavalry surgeon is also a qualified flight surgeon.
  • play-off: Report from FootyMad Ipswich Town will face West Ham United in the first division play-offs after a nervy afternoon at Portman Road.
  • commander: The division commander normally places at least one FA battalion in direct support of each committed maneuver brigade.

Noun used with modifier

  • infantry: Currently the coalition command is deciding how better use the 4th Infantry Division.
  • cavalry: The Cavalry division were kept in reserve under the command of General Edmund Allenby.
  • cell: The BLM protein plays a role in helping ensure that chromosomes are copied properly during cell division.
  • panzer: Our own attacking force will consist of thirty new Volksgrenadier divisions and new panzer divisions, plus panzer divisions from the eastern front.
  • th: As regards the 18 th Division, we arrived only carrying small arms.
  • publishing: The Government have noted the considerable interest in the proposed sale of the Scottish Media Group's publishing division.

Preposition: of

  • labor: Division of labor is central to our way of life.
  • labor: Schooling at Mont Clair must provide its students with access to careers within a highly complex division of labor.
  • Informatic: I'm a PhD student in the Division of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh.
division Quotes

Instead of this absurd division into sexes, they ought to class people as static and dynamic.

—Waugh, Evelyn Arthur StJohn

It may be divided into three parts; in one you cannot hear, in another you cannot see, and in the third you can neither see nor hear. I remember once sitting alone in the third divisionöand never before or since have I had such a profound feeling of the power of solitude.

—North, Christopher pseudonym of  JohnWilson

There is a growing division in our comparatively prosperous society between the South and the North and Midlands, which are ailing, that cannot be allowed to continue. There is a general sense of tension. The old English way might be to quarrel and have battles, but they were friendly. I can only describe as wicked the hatred that has been introduced, and which is to be found among different types of people today. Not merelyan intellectual but a moral effort isrequired toget rid of it.

—Stockton

You think that a wall as solid as the earth separates civilisation from barbarism. I tell you the division is a thread, a sheet of glass.

—Buchan,John, 1st BaronTweedsmuir

The division of labor does not present individuals to one another, but social functions.

—Durkheim, EŁ  mile

The division of labour is nothing but the alienated establishment of human activity.

—Marx, Karl Heinrich

The greatest improvement in the productive powers of labour, and the greater part of the skill, dexterity and judgement with which it is any where directed, as applied, seem to have been the effects of the division of labour.

—Smith, Adam

There was a heated division of opinion in the lobbies during the interval but a small conservative majority took the view that it might be as well to remain in the theatre.

—Tynan, Kenneth

If there is a distinctive Irish experience, it is one of division, exacerbated by the fact that division in a country so small seems perverse.But the scale doesn't matter.

—Donoghue, Denis

   What is our life? a play of passion; Our mirth the music of division; Our mothers' wombs the tiring-houses be Where we are dressed for this short comedy. Heaven the judicious sharp spectator is, That sits and marks still who doth act amiss; Our graves that hide us from the searching sun Are like drawn curtains when the play is done. Thus march we, playing, to our latest rest, Only we die in earnestöthat's no jest.

—Raleigh, Sir Walter

The deep division of prodigious breasts, The solemn slope of mighty limbs asleep.

—Swinburne, Algernon Charles