orig. phr. 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 meniʓu.
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.
c. 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. Shaks., 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 judgment or consideration; separately as objects of thought. To know asunder: to distinguish. arch.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Somp. Prol., 8. Freres and feendes been but litel asunder.
c. 1525. Skelton, Agst. Scottes, 96. Know ye not suger and salt asondyr.
1592. Shaks., 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.
