▪ I. apart, adv.
(əˈpɑːt)
Also 5 at part.
[Fr. à part, f. à to, part place, side; though formally identified with Eng. phrases like a-side, a-head, the various senses closely follow the Fr.]
1. To one side, aside, to a place removed from the general body. a. of motion.
| c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 636 Adrow him apart þanne and saide. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Matt. xiv. 13 He retired..into a desert place apart. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. iii. i. 282 Thy heart is bigge, get thee a-part and weepe. 1672 Dryden Conq. Granada i. i. i, I saw him ride a-part. 1827 Keble Chr. Y. 2nd S. Christm. ii, Then stole apart to weep and die. |
b. of position.
| 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. vii. 384 Two..preysed þe peny⁓worthes, apart by hem-selue. 1432 Paston Lett. 18. I. 34 Speche..had unto the King at part and in prive. 1528 More Heresyes iii. Wks. 1557, 245/1 Our sauiour at tyme taught his apostles a part. 1611 Bible 2 Macc. xiii. 13 Iudas being apart with the Elders. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 498 ¶3 When they were apart, the impostor revealed himself. 1827 Keble Chr. Y. 3rd S. Epiph. ii, As I walk and muse apart. |
2. Apart from each other, separately; asunder, parted. (Also of the parts of a thing.)
| 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeless iv. 36 Comliche a clerk than..pronouncid þe poyntis aparte to hem alle. 1728 Newton Chronol. Amend. i. 177 The Spartans lived in villages apart. 1816 J. Wilson City of Plague ii. i. 41 They died three hours apart. 1829 Hood E. Aram iv, His hat was off, his vest apart. |
3. Separately in consideration; as a separate or distinct object of thought.
| 1577–87 Harrison Engl. i. ii. xxiv. 356 To deale with some of these antiquities apart. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. ix. §3 The inquiry touching human nature entire, as a just portion of knowledge to be handled apart. 1756 C. Lucas Ess. Waters II. 54 Let us view each ingredient apart. 1843 Mill Logic ii. vi. §1 This is a case which merits examination apart. |
4. Away from others in action or function; separately, independently, individually.
| c 1400 Test. Love iii. (R.) Ye han in your bodie diuers members..euerich aparte to his owne doing. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. (1632) 304 To make those things subsist a-part which haue the selfe-same generall Nature. 1649 Selden Laws of Eng. i. xvii. (1739) 34 Their power..was exercised either collectively, or apart and severally. 1794 Sullivan View of Nat. I. 97 All that they have each of them apart imagined. 1870 Bryant Homer I. i. 30 When I form designs Apart from all the gods. |
b. In this sense it often acquires by ellipsis of being, standing, existing, etc., an adjective force = Separate. (Cf. Fr. c'est un homme à part.)
| 1786 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 34 Qualities and accomplishments..which might form a chapter apart for her. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 331 The London clergy were always spoken of as a class apart. 1868 Mill Eng. & Irel., There is no other civilised nation which is so far apart from Ireland in the character of its history. |
5. fig. Aside, away from all employment or consideration, as in to set apart, lay apart, put apart: to put away, dismiss. (Fr. mettre, laisser à part.) arch.
| 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 1 Whiche grace..hath compelled me to sette aparte alle ingratitude. 1558 Knox Regim. Wom. (1878) 20 All shame laid a parte, they..learned the feates of warre. 1611 Bible James i. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthinesse. 1827 Keble Chr. Y. East. Tues. viii, Let Pleasure go, put Care apart. |
b. In absolute phrases, as ‘jesting apart’ (Fr. raillerie à part) = Laid aside, put out of question.
| 1732 Berkeley Min. Philos. I. 52 But, Authority apart, what do you say to Experience? a 1744 Pope Epil. J. Shore 11 But let me die, all raillery apart. 1826 Disraeli Viv. Grey i. ix. 20 However, jesting apart, get your hat. |
6. Away from common use for a special purpose. to set apart: to separate, devote, consecrate. (Fr. mettre à part.)
| 1604 Hieron Wks. I. 492 Whom God did neuer set a part to that holy seruice. 1611 Bible Ex. xiii. 12 Thou shalt set apart [Coverdale, sunder out] vnto the Lord all that openeth the matrix. c 1680 Beveridge Serm. (1729) I. 13 If no places were set apart for the worship of God. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 10 ¶2 Families that set apart an Hour in every Morning for Tea. 1853 Maurice Proph. & Kings ii. 22 A portion of the sacrifice was set apart for him. |
7. Const. In all senses it may be followed by from.
| 1617 Janua Ling. 523 Let us be separated a-part from the company. 1833 H. Martineau Loom & Lug. i. v. 87, I see no crime in Elizabeth's taste apart from the means. 1860 Tyndall Glac. ii. §16. 312 What then can the viscous theory mean apart from the facts? 1862 Ld. Brougham Brit. Const. xiii. 184 The precise period at which the Commons first sat apart from the Lords is equally unknown. |
¶ From is rarely omitted, leaving apart to act as a preposition = Away from. (Common in Fr.)
| 1615 Chapman Odyss. i. 289 Apart this city, in the harbour. |
▪ II. † aˈpart, v. Obs.
[f. prec.]
1. trans. To set aside, put away, remove, separate.
| 1563 Sackville Mirr. Mag. Induct. xiv, When I sawe no ende that could aparte The deadly dewle. 1594 R. Parsons Next Succession ii. ix. 202 That al fansie and fonde opinion of the vulgar people be aparted, in this matter, from truth and substance. 1620 Shelton Quix. iii. vi. I. 157 We may very well cross the way, and apart ourselves from danger. |
2. To depart (from), to quit. Obs.
| 1574 Hellowes Gueuara's Epist. 239 To succour their necessities and to appart their conversations. |