1. (v. t.) To separate, as one from another; to cut off from something; to divide; to part in any way, especially by violence, as by cutting, rending, etc.; as, to sever the head from the body.

2. (v. t.) To cut or break open or apart; to divide into parts; to cut through; to disjoin; as, to sever the arm or leg.

3. (v. t.) To keep distinct or apart; to except; to exempt.

4. (v. t.) To disunite; to disconnect; to terminate; as, to sever an estate in joint tenancy.

5. (v. i.) To suffer disjunction; to be parted, or rent asunder; to be separated; to part; to separate.

6. (v. i.) To make a separation or distinction; to distinguish.

abandon amputate analyze anatomize atomize ax bisect bob break off break up butcher carve cease change chop chop logic cleave contradistinguish cut cut away cut in two cut off demarcate demark desynonymize detach dichotomize difference differentiate discern disconnect discontinue discriminate disequalize disjoin disjoint dissect dissever dissolve distinguish disunite diversify divide divorce dock draw the line end excise extricate fissure gash hack halve hew incise individualize individuate jigsaw lance make a distinction mark mark off mark out mark the interface modify pare part particularize personalize pick out prune refine a distinction rend rive saw scissor screen screen out segregate select separate set a limit set apart set off severalize sieve sieve out sift sift out slash slice slit snip sort sort out specialize split split hairs stop subdivide subtilize sunder suspend tear terminate vary whittle winnow