Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SUN'DER, v.t. [Sax. sundrian, syndrian; G. sondern; Dan. sönder, torn in pieces; Sw. söndra, to divide.]

1. To part; to separate; to divide; to disunite in almost any manner, either by rending, cutting or breaking; as, to sunder a rope or cord; to sunder a limb or joint; to sunder friends, or the ties of friendship. The executioner sunders the head from the body at a stroke. A mountain may be sundered by an earthquake. Bring me lightning, give me thunder; / Jove may kill, but ne'er shall sunder. – Glanville.
2. To expose to the sun. [Provincial in England.]