▪ I. asunder, adv., orig. phr.
(əˈsʌndə(r))
Forms: 1 on sundran, 1–4 o sunder(e, 5 on sondre, one sondyre, on sundre; 4 asondri, asyndre, 4–5 asondry, 4–6 asondur, -dre, 5 a-sundyr, -dir, asondyr, -dir, 5–6 asonder, 6 a sundre, asundur, 6– 8 a sunder, assunder, 4– asunder. See also in sunder (ensunder) in same sense.
[OE. phr. on sundran ‘in or into a separate position or condition’: see a prep.1 and sunder.]
† 1. In or into a position apart or separate; apart.
| a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. (Gr.) 842 Sæton on sundran. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Mark vii. 33 Ða nam he hine onsundran [Lindisf. sundurlice] of þære meniᵹu. c 1160 Hatton G. ibid., Asundre. 1548 Coverdale Erasm. Par. Gal. i. 15 But me called he a sonder to be his preacher. |
2. Of two or more things: Apart or separate from each other: a. in position.
| 1330 R. Brunne Chron. 282 Þei er o sundere. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 493 Wyd was his parisch, and houses fer asondur. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. iv. 133 Sowe hem..half a foote asonder. 1563 Shute Archit. E iiij b, How far and how nere the pillers shalbe set a sunder. 1611 Heywood Gold. Age iv. i. Wks. 1874 III. 57 Heer's a coyle to keep fire and tow a sunder. 1777 Johnson Lett. 183 II. 2 We are now near half the length of England asunder. 1867 Froude Short Stud. (1872) I. 23 Wide asunder as pole and pole. |
b. in direction or motion.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 116 Ðe ðridde dai..was water and erðe o sunder sad. c 1330 Amis & Amil. 309 Now we asondri schal wende. c 1450 Merlin ix. 140 They wolde not departe on sondre. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, v. i. 112 My Chaffe And Corne shall flye asunder. 1719 Young Revenge iv. i, Unhand her—Murder! Tear them asunder. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. 685 Lochiel..while forcing them asunder, received a wound. |
3. Apart from each other in character, or in one's judgement or consideration; separately as objects of thought. to know asunder: to distinguish. arch.
| c 1386 Chaucer Sompn. Prol. 8 Freres and feendes been but litel asunder. c 1525 Skelton Agst. Scottes 96 Know ye not suger and salt asondyr. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. v. 82 Villaine and he be many Miles assunder. 1699 Bentley Phal. 217 The several words taken asunder have nothing Poetical in them. 1722 De Foe Plague (1756) 264 It was impossible to know them assunder. |
4. Of one thing: Into separate parts; in two, in pieces; esp. with break, burst, cut, rend, tear, etc.
| [1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 888 Wormes sal ryve hym in sondre.] c 1450 Lonelich Grail xiv. 199 Bothe palettes and scheldes he to-craked asondir. c 1440 Gesta Rom. 253 He kutte ensundre alle his clothis. 1526 Tindale Acts i. 19 Brast a sondre in the myddes. 1586 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. 136 To rent and break a sunder our good and sure friendship. 1641 J. Jackson True Evang. Temper i. 85 If she will saw me asunder, let her. 1862 Stanley Jew. Ch. (1877) I. v. 95 The rending asunder of the veil which overhung the temple. |
▪ II. † aˈsunder, v. Obs.
Forms: 1 asundri-an, 4 assunder, 4– asunder.
[OE. asundrian, f. a- prefix 1 + sundrian to sunder.]
To put asunder, separate, divide.
| a 1000 Cod. Exon. 98 a (Bosw.) Se déaþ asundraþ l{iacu}c and sáwle. c 1440 Gesta Rom. 206 He was asunderid fro alle his men. 1580 Tusser Husb. (1878) 37 A plough beetle..Great clod to asunder. 1593 B. Barnes Parthen. ii. in Arb. Garner V. 409 Thou could not be persuaded that my wits Could once retire so far from Sense asundered. |