Pa. t. and pa. pple. split (also 6– splitted, 9 splitten). [ad. MDu. splitten (Du. splitten, WFris. splitte), obscurely related to spletten SPLET v. and splīten (Du. splijten), MLG. and LG. splîten, MHG. splîzen (G. spleissen), etc. Cf. also SPLEET v.2 The earlier examples and senses indicate a nautical origin for the use of the word in English.]
It is doubtful whether the following early example is a figurative use of sense 1 b, or of sense 2:—
1576. Gascoigne, Steele Gl., E iij b. Great Alexander, drounde in drunkennesse, Cæsar and Pompey, split with priuy grudge.
I. trans. 1. Of storms, rocks, etc.: To break up (a ship); to cause to part asunder. Chiefly in pass.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., I. i. 104. Our helpefull ship was splitted in the midst.
1597. J. King, On Jonas (1618), 53. It fell not vpon rocks or shelues, but by the power of the onely winde was almost splitted.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, III. xvi. 170. The first shippe was split with a tempest that did rise in the Lake.
c. 1643. Ld. Herbert, Autobiog. (1824), 100. We coming … straight upon the Pier of Dover,… our ship was unfortunately split against it.
1680. C. Nesse, Church Hist., 345. By swallowing up the Ship in the midst of the Sea, or by splitting her upon the Rocks or Sands of the Shore.
1708. Constit. Watermen’s Co., lii. If any Waterman … happen to have his Boat … split, staved, or any ways damnified.
fig. 1642. D. Rogers, Naaman, To Rdr. [A rock which] unhappily split their hopes, and made shipwracke of all.
b. Of persons: In pass., to suffer shipwreck. Also in fig. contexts, and fig.
1602. Marston, Ant. & Mel., III. E j b. That when a soule is splitted, sunke with griefe, He might fall thus, vpon the breast of earth.
1621. Brathwait, Nat. Embassie, 9. He who Vlisses-like stands firme … shall be a spectator of his Companions misery, in himselfe secured while they are splitted.
1640. in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 165. That I should sitt a Judge ther, wheere I was latelie in possibilitie to have been splitt & ruined.
a. 1704. T. Brown, Sat. agst. Wom., Wks. 1730, I. 54. I shun the rock where Strephon has been split.
1772–84. Cook’s Voy. (1790), II. 445. We were surrounded with innumerable quantities of ice, and were in constant danger of being split by them.
transf. c. 1611. Chapman, Iliad, XXIII. 386. We ride A way most dangerous; turn head, betime take larger field, We shall be splitted.
c. To have (one’s vessel) wrecked.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 12 Sept. 1641. Here we split our skiff.
2. To divide longitudinally by a sharp stroke or blow; to cause to burst or give way along the grain or length; to cleave or rend.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., II. vi. 30. Come Yorke, and Richard, Warwicke and the rest, I stab’d your Fathers bosomes; Split my brest. Ibid. (1603), Meas. for M., II. ii. 116. Thou … with thy sharpe and sulpherous bolt Splits the vn-wedgable and gnarled Oke.
a. 1625. Nomenclator Navalis (Harl. MS. 2301), s.v., If a Shot come and break a carriage of a Peece, wee saye it hath split the Carriage.
1680. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., XII. § 13. 207. With the Cleaving-knife and the Mawl, split it into a square piece near the size.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), I. 157. At Cajeta, in Italy, a mountain was split in this manner by an earthquake.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., v. (1842), 151. It must be either broken in the hand, or split or crushed by a hammer on the anvil.
1849. G. P. R. James, Woodman, xviii. I care not much whose head I split, if it comes in my way.
1878. Browning, Poets Croisic, 32. Quick on flash Followed the thunder, splitting earth downright.
fig. 1590. Shaks., Com. Err., V. i. 308. Oh times extremity Hast thou so crack’d and splitted my poore tongue [etc.]? Ibid. (1606), Per., III. i. 44. Blow, and split thyself.
b. Naut. Of wind: To rend or tear (a sail). Also of persons or a vessel: To have (a sail) rent or torn by the wind.
a. 1625. Nomenclator Navalis (Harl. MS. 2301), s.v., When the winde hath blowne a Saile to peeces, wee saie the Saile is split.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., I. 17. It is more Wind, come, hawl down both Top-sails close…. The Sail is split.
1745. P. Thomas, Jrnl. Anson’s Voy., 26. We split both our Main and Fore-top-sails.
1748. Anson’s Voy., II. v. 170. The weather proved squally, and we split our maintop-sail.
1800. Nelson, 26 Feb., in Nicolas, Disp. (1845), IV. 200. Ordered the Foudroyant to be anchored,… she having split her main topsail and foresail.
1901. D. B. Hall & Ld. A. Osborne, Sunshine & Surf, ii. 17. The whole of our top-gallant square sail was split to ribbons.
c. Agric. To plow (a ridge) so as to throw the furrow-slice outward.
1807. Vancouver, Agric. Devon (1813), 116. The work is performed by what is called splitting; that is the plough always turns upon the left to the first furrow, and the coulter is held close all the way to the lifted slice previously turned over.
1844. H. Stephens, Bk. Farm, I. 470. A ridge that has been ploughed the reverse to gathering up from the flat is said to be split, which is the short phrase for crown-and-furrow ploughing.
1891. W. J. Malden, Tillage, 106. This is known as splitting the ridge, and is the best form.
d. Mining. (See quot.)
1883. Gresley, Gloss. Coal-mining, 231. Split.… To divide a pillar or post … by driving through it one or more roads.
e. To separate or take apart longitudinally.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 2279/2. The ends of the two others [sc. rope-strands] are united by splitting and interlacing in the same manner.
3. In various fig. uses: a. Of violent grief or pain.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. iii. 300. O but remember this another day: When he shall split thy very heart with sorrow. Ibid. (1605), Lear, V. iii. 177. Let sorrow split my heart, if euer I Did hate thee.
1813. Examiner, 18 April, 242/2. Absolute happiness is in the power of no one, who has got … a head to be split with aching.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xvii. In parting from thee I am splitting mine own heart in twain.
b. Of loud noise.
1602. Shaks., Ham., III. ii. 12. [To] teare a Passion to tatters,… to split the eares of the Groundlings. Ibid. (1607), Cor., V. vi. 52. You … had no welcomes home, but he returnes Splitting the Ayre with noyse.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. I. xii. The King swears; and now be the welkin split with vivats.
1865. Parkman, Champlain (1875), 327. The air was split with shrill outcries.
c. Of excessive laughter. (Cf. SIDE sb.1 1 c.)
1687. Miége, Gt. Fr. Dict., II. s.v., To split himself with laughter.
1704. Cibber, Careless Husb., III. Seeing us ready to split our sides in laughing at nothing.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, X. x. ¶ 39. He laughed ready to split his sides.
1839. Hood, Nocturnal Sk., i. In the small Olympic pit, [to] sit split Laughing at Liston.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., I. iv. 46. Lor! I was fit to split myself.
4. a. To divide or apportion to, or between, two or more persons.
1670. Cotton, Gamester, x. (1680), 83. If the Honours are equally divided among the Gamesters of each side, then they say Honours are split.
1719. Swift, Stella’s Birthday, 9. O, would it please the gods to split Thy beauty, size, and years, and wit! No age could furnish out a pair Of nymphs [etc.].
1824. Han. More, in W. Roberts, Life (1835), IV. 243. When I am obliged to split my attentions, it is a little fatiguing.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., ii. Not worth splitting a guinea;… toss who shall pay for both.
1864. Lowell, Fireside Trav., 225. They were just alike,… and you could not split an epithet between them.
1889. Conan Doyle, Micah Clarke, 220–1. I have been splitting a flask with our gallant Colonel.
absol. 1866. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt, xi. I’ll plump or I’ll split for them as treat me the handsomest.
b. To divide or break up into separate parts or portions.
1706. E. Ward, Wooden World Diss. (1708), 38. Standing upon the firm Deck, he … falls to splitting his Text most methodically.
1777. Burke, Lett. to Sheriffs of Bristol, Wks. 1842, I. 217. There are people, who have split and anatomised the doctrine of free government, as if it were an abstract question.
1785. Paley, Mor. Philos., III. II. v. § 2. The proprietors … have it in their power to facilitate the maintenance … of families … by building cottages [and] splitting farms.
1813. Ann. Reg., Gen. Hist., 49. The thing complained of was a novel practice of splitting votes by will.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., ii. I. 236. The practice of splitting freeholds for the purpose of multiplying votes dates from this memorable struggle.
1868. Rules Stock Exch., no. 85, A Member splitting a ticket shall pay any increased expense caused by such splitting.
c. To divide or separate (persons) into parties, factions, groups, etc.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 461, ¶ 2. We are … split into so many different Sects and Parties.
1784. Cowper, Task, V. 195. When Babel was confounded, and the great Confed’racy of projectors … Was split into diversity of tongues.
1861. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., iv. 63. They are easily split into parties by intrigue.
1885. Gladstone, in B. Holland, Life Dk. Devonsh. (1911), II. xxi. 21. The question of the House of Lords, of the Church, or both, will probably split the Liberal Party.
refl. 1885. Manch. Exam., June, 165/2. The enemy split themselves into two parties.
d. To divide or separate by the interposition of something.
1824. L. Murray, Eng. Gram. (ed. 5), I. 463. What is called splitting particles, or separating a preposition from the noun which it governs, is to be avoided.
1841. Lytton, Night & Morning, II. v. The man … said … ‘Pawdon me, and split legs!’ therewith stretching himself between Philip’s limbs, in the approved fashion of inside passengers!
1894. Field, 9 June, 835/1. Mr. Marshall split Messrs Taylor’s pair with Orphan, a good-looking grey.
1895. Daily News, 6 July, 8/1. Mrs. Williamson splits her infinitives; hers is not a dandy way of writing.
e. Mining. (See later quots.)
1850. Ansted, Elem. Geol., Min., etc. 490. This whole current is divided by splitting into sixteen currents of above 11,000 cubit feet per minute.
1860. Mining Gloss., Newcastle Terms, 63. Splitting the air, dividing the air into different portions, each ventilating a separate district of the mine.
1883. Gresley, Gloss. Coal-mining, 231. Split. To divide the ventilative current after it reaches the pit bottom.
f. Croquet. To drive (a ball) with a ‘splitting’ stroke.
1877. Encycl. Brit., VI. 610. Make that hoop, and split, roll, or rush the ball placed there to help to hoop second back.
5. In various phrases: a. Split me (or my windpipe), used as an imprecation.
1700. T. Brown, trans. Fresny’s Amusem., viii. Wks. 1709, III. I. 72. A Bully of the Blade came strutting up,… crying out, Split my Wind-pipe, Sir, you are a Fool.
1701. Cibber, Love makes Man, II. ii. I never fenc’d so ill in all my Life—never in my Life, split me!
1811. Sporting Mag., XXXVII. 10. Split me if ever I sell it for less.
1840. Thackeray, Catherine, ix. I had you here to amuse me—split me!
b. To split a hair or hairs, straws, words, to make fine or subtle distinctions, esp. in argument or controversy; to be over-subtle or captious.
(a) 1674. Boyle, Excell. Theol., Pref. 10. The great difficulty … so to behave oneself, as to split a hair between them, and never offend either of them.
1691. trans. Emiliane’s Observ. Journ. Naples, 55. Shewing himself very inventive and dexterous at splitting a Hair in his way of handling Scholastick matters.
1742. [see HAIR sb. 8 j].
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), I. 23. Though we are obliged sometimes to split the hair we need not quarter it.
1780. M. Madan, Thelyphthora, II. 4. They splitted the hair … by condemning those who say ‘the church may err in teaching otherwise.’
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, II. v. ¶ 5. They would not split a hair about the loss of a wife or two.
1866. Bright, Sp., Reform, 13 March (1876), 346. It never entered into my mind the Government would split hairs in this fashion.
(b) 1845. Disraeli, Sybil, V. iii. III. 43. I am no changeling, nor can I refine and split straws, like your philosophers and Morleys.
1905. Elin. Glyn, Viciss. Evangeline, 225. He does not split straws, or bandy words.
(c) 1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), II. 286. Why will you continue splitting words?
c. To split the difference, to halve an amount in dispute between two parties; to take the mean between two sums or quantities; to compromise on this basis. Also fig. (Cf. DIFFERENCE 2 d.)
1715. M. Davies, Athen. Brit., I. Pref. 28. The Arian Pamphlets are not half so diverting as the Popish Libels; tho’ as to their Idolatry, the difference may be split.
1771. Ann. Reg., Chron., 145/1. The disagreement … is now amicably settled, by the splitting the difference between his surveyor’s estimate and that taken by the surveyor for the executors.
1855. Poultry Chron., III. 66/2. As £7 had been named [in place of £13], perhaps if they ‘split’ the difference, and said £10, that would settle the matter.
[1893. Daily News, 13 March, 2/7. They refuse to ‘split’ the half-crown per ton which represented the difference between buyer and seller.]
d. Naut. (See quot.)
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., 644. Splitting the books. The making of a new complete-book after payment, in which the dead, run, or discharged men are omitted; but the numbers … against the men’s names … must be continued.
6. slang. To disclose, reveal, let out. (Cf. 12.)
1850. Thackeray, Pendennis, xliii. Did I split anything?
1902. F. W. Van Praag, in Munsey’s Mag., XXVI. 494/1. We can’t have him splitting that Mr. Lemp’s in the wood.
II. intr. † 7. As predicate to all: To go to pieces. Obs.
1590. Greene, Never too Late (1600), 47. With that he set downe his period with such a sigh, that as the Marriners say, a man would haue thought all would haue split again.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., I. ii. 32. To make all split the raging Rocks.
1610. Beaum. & Fl., Scornf. Lady, II. iii. Two roaring Boys of Rome, that made all split.
1611. Middleton & Dekker, Roaring Girl, IV. ii. If I sail not with you both till all split, hang me up at the mainyard.
8. Of a ship: To part or break by striking on a rock or shoal, or by the violence of a storm.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., V. iv. 10. Whiles … the Ship splits on the Rock, Which Industrie and Courage might haue sau’d.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 730. Their Admirall here splitteth on a Rocke, but the men are saved by the helpe of the other shippes.
1645. Harwood, Loyal Subj. Retiring-room, 15. A wise Pilot will not run his ship wilfully on a rock, but if a tempest drive it, he will shew his skill and courage to save it from splitting.
1718. Ozell, trans. Tournefort’s Voy., I. 112. This is the most dangerous Rock to split upon, in all the Archipelago.
1735. Johnson, Lobo’s Abyssinia, Voy., iv. 24. These [ships] are the more convenient, because they will not Split, if thrown upon Banks, or against Rocks.
1820. Shelley, Vision Sea, 26. The great ship seems splitting! it cracks as a tree.
b. Of persons: To suffer shipwreck in this manner. Freq. in fig. context and fig.
1610. Shaks., Temp., I. i. 65. Mercy on vs. We split, we split.
1657. Benlowes, Wisdom, I. (1905), 474. While sinners split on shelves, saints to Heav’n’s harbour steer.
1678. Dryden, All for Love, Pref. And this is the rock on which they are daily splitting.
1726. Swift, Gulliver, I. i. The wind was so strong, that we were driven directly upon it, and immediately split.
1754. Sherlock, Disc. (1759), I. 113. There is no Danger of their splitting upon these insuperable Difficulties.
1764. G. Psalmanazar, Mem., 283. I know but too well how many excellent critics had already split upon that fatal rock.
9. To part asunder, to burst, to form a fissure or fissures, esp. in a longitudinal direction.
a. 1625. Nomenclator Navalis (Harl. MS. 2301), s.v., When Sheeuers breake wee say they split.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies (1840), I. 110. The oak … may be called cowardly, as riving and splitting round about the passage of the bullet.
a. 1728. Woodward, Fossils, I. 17. All the Stone that is Slaty … will split only lengthways or horizontally.
1796. Withering, Brit. Plants (ed. 3), III. 831. Veil splitting at the side.
1820. Shelley, Prometh. Unb., I. i. 40. When the rocks split and close again behind.
1855. Orr’s Circ. Sci., Inorg. Nat., 173. The clay … assumes a tendency to split in certain directions much more readily than in others.
1882. Vines, trans. Sachs’ Bot., 806. It is evident that before the bark splits … the transverse tension must attain a certain intensity.
b. Used hyperbolically to denote the effect of excessive laughter, pain or repletion.
(a) 1677. Miége, Fr. Dict., II. To split with laughter.
1693. Dryden, Juvenal (1697), 333. Shou’d such a Fight appear to view, All Men wou’d split, the Sight wou’d please whilst new.
1729. Swift, Grand Quest., 175. Madam, I laugh’d till I thought I should split.
1840. Thackeray, Barber Cox, Feb. One or two men, who roared with laughter ready to split.
1862. J. Meredith, Old Chartist, ix. I’m nearly splitting.
(b) 1722–7. Boyer, Dict. Royal, I. s.v. Fendre, My Head is ready to split in two, I have a violent Head-ake.
1756. Mrs. Calderwood, in Coltness Collect. (Maitland Club), 194. By the time we arrived, my head was like to split with perfect fear.
1849. Cupples, Green Hand, xvii. (1856), 168. I lay on my back,… my head aching like to split.
(b) 1771. Goldsm., Haunch of Venison, 104. ‘A pasty!’ re-echo’d the Scot; ‘Tho’ splitting, I’ll still keep a corner for that.’
1783. Wolcot (P. Pindar), Ode to R. A.’s, Wks. 1812, I. 49. The Poet might have guttled till he split.
c. To admit of being cleft.
1846. J. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4), II. 169. The wood splits clean and easy, and is best adapted for split-paling and laths.
10. To part, divide or separate in some way.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 415, ¶ 10. As in such Bodies the Sight must split upon several Angles, it does not take in one uniform Idea.
1856. Stanley, Sinai & Pal., ii. (1858), 111. The … river, which rises at the point where Hermon splits into its two parallel ranges.
1862. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org. (ed. 2), 94. If boiled for some hours with hydrochloric acid glycyrrhizin splits into a brownish resin and glucose.
1898. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., V. 956. There is an element of caprice in murmurs, which may rise, fall, split, or perhaps vanish for a time.
b. To break up into separate groups or parties.
1824. Scott, Redgauntlet, ch. xii. The land-sharks were on them,… and so they were obliged to split and squander.
1871. L. Stephen, Playgr. Eur. (1894), v. 137. We somehow contrived to split into three parties.
1871. ‘M. Legrand,’ Cambr. Freshm., 299. This ceremony over, the party split of its own accord into two sections.
11. To break up into factions, sects, or similar divisions; to separate through disagreement or difference of opinion; to fall out or disagree.
1730. T. Boston, Mem., ix. 264. The parties were at the very point of splitting.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., VI. § 29. What or where is the profession of men, who never split into schisms?
1845. Sarah Austin, Ranke’s Hist. Ref., I. 379. He had not the power of keeping the princes of the empire together;… on the contrary, every thing about him split into parties.
1890. W. A. Wallace, Only a Sister? 120. ‘Well, don’t let us split on a small point of detail,’ he began.
b. slang. To break or quarrel with a person.
1835. G. P. R. James, Gipsy, xi. I don’t want to split with Pharold.
1859. Slang Dict., 99. To split with a person, to cease acquaintanceship, to quarrel.
12. slang. To turn evidence or informer; to peach; to give information detrimental to others; to betray confidence.
1795. Potter, Dict. Cant (ed. 2), Split, turning evidence.
1824. Compl. Hist. Murder Mr. Weare, 242. Such was the intense anxiety of some parties, not unknown in the lower circles of the Gambling-houses, to hear whether Thurtell had split, (the cant phrase for confession).
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, lxvi. If anybody is to split, I had better be the person.
1876. Besant & Rice, Gold. Butterfly, xvi. Janet would not split even when she was dying. And then there was very little to split about when she died.
b. Const. on or upon (a person).
1812. in J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict.
1838. Dickens, O. Twist, xxv. I might have got clear off, if I’d split upon her.
1875. ‘A. R. Hope,’ My Schoolboy Fr., 78. Of course you won’t split on us.
1891. V. L. Cameron, Log Jack Tar, 208. When he investigated the matter some among them split upon the ringleaders.
c. Const. about (a matter).
1836. Ann. Reg., Chron., 23 Feb., 34/1. I will split about the murder, and get you scragged.
1876. [see 12].
13. colloq. To run, walk, etc., at great speed.
1790. R. Tyler, Contrast, II. ii. (1887), 39. I was glad to take to my heels and split home, right off.
1848. in Bartlett, Dict. Amer., 324.
1868. Dickens, Lett. (1880), II. 361. The spectacle of our splitting up the fashionable avenue … excited the greatest amazement.
1872. Routledge’s Ev. Boy’s Ann., 30. Over him she [sc. the mare] goes, and down the hill as hard as she can split.
b. To do anything with great vigor.
a. 1848. Maj. Jones’s Courtship (1852), 22 (Bartlett). I sot the niggers a drummin and fifin as hard as they could split.
III. 14. With advs., as away, down, off, out, up.
a. In transitive senses.
1648. Hexham, II. Opsplijten, to Split up, or to Rive open.
a. 1735[?]. M. Clerk, in Dict. Nat. Biogr. (1887), XI. 44/1. He only cut off a chiel’s lug, and he ought to ha’ split doun his heid.
1799. [A. Young], View Agric. Lincoln., 72. A wheel plough … for crossing broad high lands at an equal pitch; which is liked better … than either gathering up, or splitting down.
1807. Pike, Sources Mississ. (1810), II. App. 25. We cut down a small green cotton-wood tree, and with much labor split out a canoe.
1846. A. Young, Naut. Dict., 291–2. Splitting out blocks. A process sometimes resorted to when it is necessary to remove the blocks on which a vessel rests on a slip or in a dock [etc.].
1855. Orr’s Circ. Sci., Inorg. Nat., 39. These, which are often of vast dimensions, are split off from the peaks of the higher mountains.
1883. Manch. Guard., 22 Oct., 5/2. To split up Manchester into half a dozen distinct constituencies.
b. In intransitive senses.
1843. Penny Cycl., XXV. 204/2. The outer layer of which splits up into star-like expanding rays.
1852. Miss Yonge, Cameos, I. i. 4. Soon the kingdom of France split away from the Empire.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., I. vii. 90. Sam … dexterously contriving to tickle Andy…, which occasioned Andy to split out into a laugh.
1865. Kingsley, Herew., i. A Roman camp, guarding the King Street, or Roman road, which splits off from the Ermine Street.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1877), I. 160. The Empire did not at once split up into national kingdoms.
