► separate to divide or split into different parts, or layers, or to make something do this: The milk had separated from the cream. First separate the eggs and beat the whites (=divide the white part from the yellow part).
► divide to make something form a number of smaller parts: The teacher divided the class into groups.
► split to separate something into two or more groups, parts, etc.: We split the money between us.
► part to separate hair into two parts with a space in the middle. You can also use part more formally to talk about separating a substance so that there is a space between the two sides: He usually parts his hair in the middle. In the story Moses parts the Red Sea.
► break up to separate something into smaller parts: The phone company was broken up into smaller companies to encourage competition.
► segregate to separate one group of people from others because of race, sex, religion, etc.: Schools were racially segregated.
► isolate to keep one person or thing alone and separate from others: The hospital isolates patients who have infectious diseases.
► partition formal to divide a country, room, or building into two or more parts: After World War II, Germany was partitioned into East and West Germany.
► apportion formal to decide how something should be divided between various people: The funds are apportioned to each of the schools in the district.