DISMEMBER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does dismember mean? 

• DISMEMBER (verb)
  The verb DISMEMBER has 2 senses:

1. separate the limbs from the body

2. divide into pieces

  Familiarity information: DISMEMBER used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DISMEMBER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they dismember    ... he / she / it dismembers   
Past simple: dismembered   
Past participle: dismembered   
-ing form: dismembering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Separate the limbs from the body

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

the tiger dismembered the tourist

Hypernyms (to "dismember" is one way to...):

kill (cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They want to dismember the prisoners

Derivation:

dismemberment (the removal of limbs; being cut to pieces)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Divide into pieces

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

discerp; dismember; take apart

Context example:

The Empire was discerped after the war

Hypernyms (to "dismember" is one way to...):

divide; part; separate (come apart)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

If he really sought to reconcile himself like a dutiful branch, he must be forgiven for having dismembered himself from the paternal tree.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)