1. (v. t.) To divide into separate parts; to cut in pieces; as, to dissect an animal; to dissect a situation\; to separate and expose the parts of, as an animal or a plant, for examination and to show their structure and relations; to anatomize.

2. (v. t.) To analyze, for the purposes of science or criticism; to divide and examine minutely.

analyze anatomize assay break down break up carve cleave cut decompose dichotomize disjoin disjoint dissever divide part penetrate pierce probe reduce reduce to elements resolve segment separate sever slice split subdivide sunder