Asunder Meaning

/əˈsʌndə/
C2

Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

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advInto separate parts or pieces.

advOf two or more people or things:, Apart or separate from each other.

The cabin was torn asunder by the storm.
What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Synonyms:
None
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The explosion tore the bridge ____, leaving two separate halves.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The mighty kingdom was torn ____ by years of civil war and conflict.

From Middle English asunder, asonder (“apart in position, distant; apart in movement; to pieces; alone, separately; distinct in kind, different”), asondri (“distinct, separate”), onsunder, onsondre (“apart, asunder; alone, separately; especially, particularly (?)”), from Old English onsundrum, on sundur (“asunder, apart, privately”), probably from on- (prefix meaning ‘on, upon’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- (“on, onto”)) + sundor, sunder (“alone, apart; separately; privately”) (from Proto-West Germanic *sundr, from Proto-Germanic *sundraz (“alone, separate”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *senH- (“apart; for oneself; without”)). By surface analysis, a- (prefix meaning ‘at; in; on’ denoting a condition, manner, or state) + sunder (“(obsolete except dialectal) different; separate”). cognates * Danish sønder * Dutch zonder * Faroese sundur * German sonder * Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌽𐌳𐍂𐍉 (sundrō) * Icelandic sundur * Norwegian Bokmål sunder, sønder * Swedish sönder

"Page. I vvarrant you, hee's the man ſhould fight vvith him. / […] [Robert] Shal[low]. It appeares ſo by his vveapons: keep them aſunder: […]" — c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 48, column 2:
"Heer's a coyle to keep fire and tovv a ſunder." — 1611, Thomas Heywood, The Golden Age, or The Liues of Jupiter and Saturne, with the Defining of the Heathen Gods. […], London: […] [Nicholas Okes] for William Barrenger, […], →OCLC, Act IV, signature H, recto:
"He deſired I vvould ſtand like a Coloſſus, vvith my Legs as far aſunder as I conveniently could. He then commanded his General, […] to dravv up the Troops in cloſe Order, and march them under me; […]" — 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author Diverts the Emperor and His Nobility of Both Sexes in a Very Uncommon Manner. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), page 57:
"[L]ay the Dung about a Foot thick, covering it over vvith light rich Earth, about ſix or eight Inches, into vvhich, on each Side, you ſhould put in ſome of the Knobs of Muſhroom Earth, about ſix Inches aſunder." — 1733, Philip Miller, “MUSHROOMS”, in The Gardeners Dictionary: […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: […] C[harles] Rivington, […], →OCLC, signature 5T, verso, column 1:
"[T]hese two never seemed to speak—one man to the other—unless at long intervals some passing unmomentous matter made it necessary. Though such a potent spell seemed secretly to join the twain; openly, and to the awe-struck crew, they seemed pole-like asunder." — 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Hat”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 591:

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CEFR Practice Quiz
The explosion tore the bridge ____, leaving two separate halves.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The mighty kingdom was torn ____ by years of civil war and conflict.

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