asunder

• asundre, insunder (obsolete)

Originally two words; from Old English on (“a (preposition)”) sundran (“separate position”), from Proto-Germanic *sunder, *sundraz. Cognate with Danish sønder, Swedish sönder, Dutch zonder, German sonder, Icelandic sundur, Faroese sundur and Norwegian sunder/sønder; akin to Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌽𐌳𐍂𐍉 (sundrō).

• (UK, Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˈsʌndə/
• (US, General American) enPR: ə-sŭnʹdər, IPA^(key): /əˈsʌndɚ/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌndə(ɹ)
• Hyphenation: asun‧der

asunder (comparative more asunder, superlative most asunder)

1. (archaic, literary) Into separate parts or pieces.

   Synonyms: apart, in twain

   Lest anyone find her treasure, she tore the map asunder and cast its pieces into the wind.

   • 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. I warrant you, he’s the man should fight with him.
     Robert Shallow. […] It appears so by his weapons. Keep them asunder:

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 2:3:

     Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

   • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, (please specify |part=I to IV), page 57:

     He desired I would stand like a Colossus, with my Legs as far asunder as I conveniently could.

   • 1866, Charles Dickens, The Signal-Man‎:

     On both of those occasions, he came back to the fire with the inexplicable air upon him which I had remarked, without being able to define, when we were so far asunder.

   • 1985, Kate Bush (lyrics and music), “Running Up That Hill”:

     You don't want to hurt me, but see how deep the bullet lies. Unaware that I'm tearing you asunder. There is thunder in our hearts.

• See also Thesaurus:asunder

• Urendas, asundre, dauners, enduras, unreads