Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DI-VORCE', n. [Fr. divorce; Sp. divorcio; It. divorzio; L. divortium, from divorto, a different orthography of diverto, to turn away. See Divert.]

1. A legal dissolution of the bonds of matrimony, or the separation of husband and wife by a judicial sentence. This is properly a divorce, and called technically, divorce a vinculo matrimonii, from the bands of matrimony.
2. The separation of a married woman from the bed and board of her husband, a mensa et toro, from board and bed.
3. Separation; disunion of things closely united.
4. The sentence or writing by which marriage is dissolved.
5. The cause of any penal separation. The long divorce of steel falls on me. – Shak.