dismember; divide; carve up
Meanings
3 senses · 9 examplesverb
to dismember (as an ancient form of capital punishment involving cutting off the limbs)
archaicRefers to the historical cruel punishment. Also written as 支解 or 枝解 in classical texts.
Ancient times had the cruel punishment of dismemberment, which was extremely brutal.
This form of dismemberment punishment was gradually abolished after the Han Dynasty.
verb
to dismember a corpse (after murder)
formalUsed in legal, criminal, or forensic contexts to describe the act of cutting up a body after killing.
The murderer brutally dismembered the victim's body.
Police discovered a dismembered corpse in the forest.
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This dismemberment case shocked the entire city.
verb
to divide; to break up; to disintegrate (metaphorically)
neutralMetaphorical usage for dividing territories, organizations, or abstract concepts.
This country was dismembered into several small states.
Don't let details fragment the overall train of thought.
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They attempted to break up this huge corporation.
The dismemberment of territory is a national humiliation.