dismember

Alternative forms

• dismembre (obsolete)

Etymology

Old French desmembrer, from des- (“de-”) + membre (“limb”) + -er (“verbal suffix”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌdɪsˈmɛmbə(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -ɛmbə(r)

Verb

dismember (third-person singular simple present dismembers, present participle dismembering, simple past and past participle dismembered)

1. (transitive) To remove the limbs of.

   Death by drawing and quartering usually dismembered the condemned person.

2. (transitive) To cut or otherwise divide something into pieces.

   The killer methodically dismembered the bodies of his victims.

   The American Civil War nearly dismembered the Union.

Anagrams

• dismembre