1. (n.) The act of cleaving or splitting.

2. (n.) The quality possessed by many crystallized substances of splitting readily in one or more definite directions, in which the cohesive attraction is a minimum, affording more or less smooth surfaces; the direction of the dividing plane; a fragment obtained by cleaving, as of a diamond. See Parting.

3. (n.) Division into laminae, like slate, with the lamination not necessarily parallel to the plane of deposition; -- usually produced by pressure.

abscission alienation alpha decay amputation atom-chipping atom-smashing atomic disintegration atomic reaction atomization beta decay bombardment breach breach of friendship break breeding bullet butchering chain reaction chasm chopping cleft cutting dichotomy disaffection disfavor disintegration series disruption dissociation disunion disunity divergence dividedness division enucleation estrangement exchange reaction excision falling-out fission fission reaction gamma decay ionization laceration mutilation neutron reaction nonreversible reaction nuclear fission nucleization open rupture photodisintegration proton gun proton reaction recall of ambassadors rending resection reversible reaction rift ripping rupture schism scission section separation severance slashing slicing split splitting splitting the atom stimulation surgery target tearing thermonuclear reaction