Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SEP'A-RATE, v.t. [L. separo; Fr. separer; It. separare; Sp. separar; Russ. razberayu. The Latin word is compounded of se, a prefix, and paro, evidently coinciding with the oriental ברא or ברר, the sense of which is to throw or drive off. Class Br, No. 7, 8, 9, 10. See Pare and Parry.]

1. To disunite; to divide; to sever; to part, in almost any manner, either things naturally or casually joined. The parts of a solid substance may be separated by breaking, cutting or splitting, or by fusion, decomposition or natural dissolution. A compound body may be separated into its constituent parts. Friends may be separated by necessity, and must be separated by death. The prism separates the several kinds of colored rays, A riddle separates the chaff from the grain.
2. To set apart from a number for a particular service. Separate me Barnabas and Saul. Acts xiii.
3. To disconnect; as, to separate man and wife by divorce.
4. To make a space between. The Atlantic separates Europe from America. A narrow strait separates Europe from Africa. To separate one's self, to withdraw; to depart. Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me. Gen. xiii.