▪ I. † diˈvise, n. Obs.
[a. OF. de-, divise, ad. late L. dīvīsa (med.L. in Du Cange) division, boundary, fem. n. from pa. pple. of dīvidĕre: see devise, and cf. the town name Devizes, formerly ‘The Devizes’, med.L. Divisæ.]
Boundary; pl. bounds.
| c 1575 Balfour Practicks (1754) 434 (Jam.) Divisis betwix sic landis pertening to sic ane man, on the ane part, and sic landis pertening to sic ane uther man on the uther part. Ibid. 438 Divises, meithis and merchis. |
▪ II. † diˈvise, a. Obs.
Also 5 de-.
[ad. L. dīvīs-us, pa. pple. of dīvidĕre to divide: cf. OF. devis divided.]
Divided; separate, distinct.
| c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. iv. 416 In March orenge is sette in sondry wyse: Thai loveth lande that rare is and divise. 1677 Gale Crt. Gentiles II. iv. 255 The Author of the Book..[says] ‘the name One is truely said of that which is indivise in it self and divise as to althings else’. |
Hence † diˈvisely adv., separately (obs.).
| c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. xviii. 398 Ioyntli and deviseli. 1552 Huloet, Diuisely, seorsum, seorsus, separatim. |