[f. the sb. Cf. Du. splinteren, WFris. splinterje, LG. and G. splintern; WFlem. splenteren.]
1. trans. To break or split into splinters or long narrow pieces, or in such a way as to leave a rough jagged end or projections.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 21. The oars are cleene splintred.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T., Wks. (Grosart), IV. 53. My leane withered hands … are all to shiuered and splinterd in their wide cases of skinne.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), s.v. Engagement, This mutual assault…: battering, penetrating, and splintering the sides and decks.
1806. Monthly Mag., XXI. 403/2. A strong bull, as he was pressing through a low stable-door, splintered with his horns the upper post.
1867. Trollope, Chron. Barset, II. lxxvii. 325. The trees that the storms have splintered are never of use.
1898. Wollocombe, Fr. Morn till Eve, v. 48. The top of the pole … had been splintered, and was held together by a very thin shred.
b. fig. and in fig. context.
1603. Shaks., Ham., III. i. 159 (Q.1). The Courtier, Scholler, Souldier, all in him, All dasht and splinterd thence.
1849. M. Arnold, Mycerinus, 99. While the deep-burnish’d foliage overhead Splinter’d the silver arrows of the moon.
1859. Tennyson, Guinevere, 18. [He] sought To make disruption in the Table Round Of Arthur, and to splinter it into feuds.
c. To bring or cause to fall down, to break off or rend from, in splinters.
1807. J. Barlow, Columb., VII. 230. High from the decks the mortar’s bursting fires Sweep the full streets, and splinter down the spires.
1871. L. Stephen, Playgr. Eur. (1894), xiii. 320. Long lines of the débris that have been splintered by frost from the higher wall [of rock].
d. To form by shivering or splitting.
1878. Browning, La Saisiaz, 7. Five short days, sufficient hardly to entice, from out its den Splintered in the slab, this pink perfection of the cyclamen.
† 2. To bind, fix or secure by means of a splint or splints; = SPLINT v. 2. Freq. fig. Also with up Obs.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., II. ii. 118. The broken rancour of your high-swolne hates, But lately splinter’d, knit, and ioyn’d together.
1623. Fletcher & Rowley, Maid in Mill, I. iii. Those men have broken credits, Loose and dismembred faiths … That splinter ’em with vows.
1659. Bp. Wren, Monarchy Asserted, 148. That Place, which I find … so strangely shattered, that it will be very hard for Me to Splinter up the broken confused Pieces of it.
1720. De Foe, Capt. Singleton, iv. (1840), 72–3. As to his arm, he found one of the bones broken…; and this he set, and splintered it up, and bound his arm in a sling.
3. intr. To split; to break, burst, or fly into or to splinters or fragments; to come away in splinters.
1625. J. Glanville, Voy. Cadiz (Camden), 48. This forte was built of a kinde of stone not apt to splinter.
1802. Aikin, Woodl. Comp. (1815), 5. Oak-timber is fitted for this purpose [i.e., shipbuilding],… by the property of not readily splintering.
a. 1832. Crabbe, Posth. Tales, X. 97. The dry boughs splinter in the windy gale.
1857. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org., ii. 99. When heated, it [i.e., anthracite] splinters into small fragments.
1886. G. R. Sims, Ring o’ Bells, etc. I. i. 42. The boy … tugged at the iron ring till the rotten woodwork splintered away from the bolt.
b. poet. To pierce through in the form of, or after the manner of, splinters.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., I. 80. Stronger lightnings splinter through the cloud. Ibid., 213. The moon … Splinters through the broken glass.
