divorce

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The legal dissolution of a marriage.
2. n. A complete or radical severance of closely connected things.
3. v. To dissolve the marriage bond between.
4. v. To end marriage with (one's spouse) by way of legal divorce.
5. v. To cut off; separate or disunite: an idea that was completely divorced from reality. See Synonyms at separate.
6. v. To obtain a divorce.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A legal dissolution of the bond of marriage. In its strictest application the term means a judicial decree or legislative act absolutely terminating or nullifying a marriage, more specifically called divorce a vinculo matrimonii. It is often used, however, to signify a judicial separation, or termination of cohabitation, more specifically called a limited divorce, or a divorce a mensa et thoro (from bed and board); and it is sometimes also used more broadly still of a judicial decree that a supposed marriage never had a valid existence, as in case of fraud or incapacity.
2. n. Hence—2. Complete separation; absolute disjunction; abrogation of any close relation: as, to make divorce between soul and body; the divorce of church and state.
3. n. The sentence or writing by which marriage is dissolved.
4. To dissolve the marriage contract between by process of law; release legally from the marriage tie; release by legal process from sustaining the relation or performing the duties of husband or wife: absolutely or with from in this and the following senses. See divorce, n., 1.
5. Hence To release or sever from any close connection; force asunder.
6. To take away; put away.
7. n. A divorced man.

Wiktionary

1. n. The legal dissolution of a marriage.
2. n. A separation of connected things.
3. v. transitive To legally dissolve a marriage between two people.
4. v. transitive To end one's own marriage in this way.
5. v. transitive To separate something that was connected.
6. v. intransitive To obtain a legal divorce.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A legal dissolution of the marriage contract by a court or other body having competent authority. This is properly a divorce, and called, technically, divorce a vinculo matrimonii.
2. n. The separation of a married woman from the bed and board of her husband -- divorce a mensa et toro (or a mensa et thoro), “from bed and board”.
3. n. The decree or writing by which marriage is dissolved.
4. n. Separation; disunion of things closely united.
5. n. obsolete That which separates.
6. v. To dissolve the marriage contract of, either wholly or partially; to separate by divorce.
7. v. To separate or disunite; to sunder.
8. v. To make away; to put away.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the legal dissolution of a marriage
2. v. part; cease or break association with
3. v. get a divorce; formally terminate a marriage