[ad. late L. subdīvidĕre: see SUB- 9 and DIVIDE v. Cf. It. suddividere, Sp., Pg. subdividir; also F. subdiviser.]
1. trans. To divide (a part of a divided whole); to divide again after a first division. (Sometimes used loosely for divide.) freq. in passive.
a. in material sense.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), VI. 36. This kynge divided alle his proventes into ij. partes, oon parte whereof he subdivided ageyne into thre partes.
1483. Caxton, Cato, 3. The second partye which is in uerse is subdyuyded in to foure partyes.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 104. If you diuide the Tones equally, the Eight is but Seuen whole and equall Notes; And if you Subdiuide that into Halfe Notes, (as it is in the Stops of a Lute), it maketh the Number of thirteene.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 184. Below the cubit it divideth into two parts,… is at the fingers subdivided into three branches.
1757. J. Dalrymple, Ess. Feudal Property, 13. The Folkland was divided and subdivided into Counties, Trythings,… and Hundreds.
1764. Harmer, Observ., ii. § 12. 68. Speaking of the tents of the Arabs, the Journal says, They are subdivided into three apartments.
1823. Lingard, Hist. Eng., VI. 32. The army formed in two grand divisions, each of which was subdivided into a battle and two wings.
1870. Sat. Rev., 2 April. That all tenants should be allowed to subdivide their holdings amongst their relatives.
1870. F. R. Wilson, Ch. Lindisf., 23. They sub-divided their parish into five chapelries.
b. in immaterial sense.
a. 1586. Sidney, Apol. Poetry (Arb.), 28. These [sc. poets] be subdiuided into sundry more speciall denominations. The most notable bee the Heroick, Lirick [etc.].
1641. Termes de la Ley, 77. Some had that charge as incident to their offices…: some others had it simply as of it selfe…. And both these sorts are againe subdivided by M. Lambert.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), I. 97. They were the first that subdivided the four cardinal winds to thirty two.
a. 1768. Sterne, Serm. Yorick (1773), IV. 151. Mankind led to dispose of these attributes inherent in the Godhead, and divide and subdivide them again amongst deities.
1813. J. Thomson, Lect. Inflam., 502. Attempts have … been made to subdivide the phenomena of mortification.
1868. Rogers, Pol. Econ., ii. (1876), 16. The use of machinery tends still further to subdivide labour.
1887. Bentley, Man. Bot. (ed. 5), 405. The Classes are also divided into Sub-classes, Series, Cohorts, or Alliances … in the same manner as the orders, genera, and species are subdivided.
c. refl.
1709. Royal Proclam., 27 Jan. The Commissioners … shall subdivide themselves,… so as three, at least, may be appointed for the Service of each Division.
1791. Paine, Rights of Man (ed. 4), 21. The original hereditary despotism resident in the person of the King, divides and subdivides itself into a thousand shapes and forms.
d. absol.
1880. [see SUBDIVIDER].
2. intr. To break up into subdivisions.
1597–8. Bacon, Ess., Faction (Arb.), 78. When one of the Factions is extinguished, the remaining subdiuideth.
1682. Bunyan, Holy War (1905), 293. They marched, they countermarched, they opened to the right and left, they divided, and subdivided.
1769. Phil. Trans., LIX. 200. From this part upwards those vessels divide and sub-divide.
1831. R. Knox, Cloquet’s Anat., 33. These laminæ subdivide into radiated fibrils.
1871. Tyndall, Fragm. Sci. (1879), II. 243. Every string sub-divides, yielding not one note, but a dozen.
† b. Used loosely of two persons forming separate factions. Obs. nonce-use.
1625. Bacon, Ess., Faction (Arb.), So When Brutus and Cassius were ouerthrowne, then soone after Antonius and Octauianus brake and Subdiuided.
Hence Subdivided ppl. a.
a. 1676. Hale, P. Atticus, iii. (1677), 98. One of the subdivided party, that finds it self weakest.
1777. S. Robson, Brit. Flora, 154. Stem subdivided.
1796. Withering, Brit. Plants (ed. 3), II. 141. Panicles with subdivided branches.
1845. Encycl. Metrop., IV. 785. The first semi-oscillation will be performed as a whole, the next as a subdivided string.
1855. Orr’s Circ. Sci., Inorg. Nat., 98. The middle oolite is almost as varied and subdivided as the lower.
