Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SPLIT, v.t. [pret. and pp. split. D. splitten; Dan. splitter; G. splittern or spleissen; Eth. ፈለጠ falt, to separate, to divide, the same verb which in other Shemitic languages, Heb. Ch. and Syr. פלט, signifies to escape. See Spalt.]

1. To divide longitudinally or lengthwise; to separate a thing from end to end by force; to rive; to cleave; as, to split a piece of timber; to split a board. It differs from crack. To crack is to open or partially separate; to split is to separate entirely.
2. To rend; to tear asunder by violence; to burst; as, to split a rock or a sail. Cold winter splits the rocks in twain. – Dryden.
3. To divide; to part; as, to split a hair. The phrases, to split the heart, to split a ray of light, are now inelegant and obsolete, especially the former. The phrase, to split the earth, is not strictly correct.
4. To dash and break on a rock; as, a ship stranded and split. – Mar. Dict.
5. To divide; to break into discord; as, a people split into parties.
6. To strain and pain with laughter; as, to split the sides.