dichotomizev.
/dʌɪˈkɒtəmʌɪz/, /dᵻˈkɒtəmʌɪz/, U.S. /daɪˈkɑdəˌmaɪz/ 1. † b. transitive. To divide into several parts; to dissect, atomize. Obsolete.In quot. 1631 humorous.
a. transitive. To divide into two sharply defined parts or mutually exclusive classes. Cf. dichotomy n. 1a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > two > division into two > divide in two [verb (transitive)] > divide into two categories
dichotomize1603
1603 [implied in: H. Clapham Three Partes Salomon Song of Songs Expounded i. 56 But seeing such Dichotomizers, diuiders, renders, may also fall within the Church of Israel (but one people) and much more within the Catholike Church of the Gentiles, consisting of al sorts of people. (at dichotomizer n.)].
1606 H. Clapham Man. Bibles Doctr. 82 Some haue diuided and subdiuided, dichotomizd and subdichotomizd the kinds of sacrifice, labouring so to put euery kind into his own place.
1639 T. Fuller Hist. Holy Warre iv. i. 166 Not a city of note..which was not dichotomized into the sect of the Guelfes..and Gibellines.
1678 R. Cudworth True Intellect. Syst. Universe i. iii. 139 The Four forementioned Forms of Atheism may be again Dichotomized..into such as derive all things from a mere Fortuitous and Temerarious Nature,..and such as deduce the Original of things from a certain Orderly, Regular and Artificial, though Sensless Nature.
1866 St. James's Mag. Oct. 367 So far as they were concerned the University was dichotomized in ‘Christ Church men’ and ‘squibs’.
1897 19th Cent. Aug. 229 The [psychical] phenomena..may be dichotomised as (1) audile, (2) visual. The audile subdivide into (1) Footsteps. (2) Voices... (3) Raps [etc.].
1948 R. Ellmann Yeats ii. 16 John Butler Yeats constantly exalts the poet in further dichotomizing the universe: ‘poetry is the Voice of the Solitary Spirit, prose the language of the sociable-minded’.
1974 K. Millett Flying (1975) iv. 462 You dichotomize sex and friendship.
2001 Wasafiri Autumn 35/2 Both these pairs, often dichotomised explicitly in colonialist writing and implicitly in many postcolonialist texts, are not dichotomised on an East-West axis by him.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > plurality > make plural [verb (transitive)] > divide into several parts
dichotomize1631
1631 T. Powell Tom of All Trades 144 Then dicotomize the whole portion of his wife into several shares.
1650 W. Charleton tr. J. B. van Helmont Ternary of Paradoxes (new ed.) 56 They againe dichotomize..the influxive spirit into the naturall, vitall, and animall.
1667 R. Allestree Causes Decay Christian Piety ix. 258 When they came to be dichotomiz'd, and cantond out into curious aerial notions.
1763 W. Hammond Evangelism delivered at Battel 12 He will then exclude some, eject others, incarcerate others, dichotomize others and eternally burn others.
2. intransitive. To divide or become divided into two; to bifurcate. Now chiefly (Botany) of a root, leaf-vein, etc.Cf. dichotomous adj. 2, dichotomy n. 3.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > two > division into two > divide in two [verb (intransitive)]
dichotomize1816
1816 F. Kendall Descriptive Catal. Minerals Scarborough 116 Folds considerably wrinkled..they dichotomize and become considerably elevated.
1884 M. Boole in Jrnl. Educ. Sept. 342 Elements which..tend to dichotomize into pairs of evils.
1964 Bot. Gaz. 125 20/1 These inner or more centrally located shanks dichotomize much more frequently than their outer shanks.
2004 Amer. Jrnl. Bot. 91 15/1 As roots grow downwards and increase in overall diameter, the arms dichotomize up to three times.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2014; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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