separate Definition
- 1to divide into different parts or sections
- 2to cause people or things to stop being together, joined, or connected
- 3not joined or touching physically
Using separate: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "separate" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The wall separates the two rooms.
Example
They decided to separate after years of marriage.
Example
The salt and pepper should be kept in separate containers.
Example
The twins were separated at birth and raised by different families.
separate Synonyms and Antonyms
Idioms Using separate
Example
After graduation, we went our separate ways and lost touch with each other.
to distinguish between those who are worthy or virtuous and those who are not
Example
The charity event aimed to separate the sheep from the goats and raise funds for the most deserving causes.
a phrase used to describe a couple who sleep in separate beds but still love each other
Example
My grandparents slept in separate beds, but they always said they had united hearts.
Phrases with separate
to distinguish between what is valuable or important and what is not
Example
The manager had to separate the wheat from the chaff when reviewing the job applications.
to distinguish between those who are mature, experienced, or capable and those who are not
Example
The training program was designed to separate the men from the boys and identify the best candidates for the job.
a legal doctrine that allowed racial segregation as long as separate facilities were provided for different races, used especially in the US before the Civil Rights Movement
Example
The Supreme Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson established the principle of separate but equal, which was later overturned in Brown v. Board of Education.
Origins of separate
from Latin 'separatus', past participle of 'separare', meaning 'to pull apart'
Summary: separate in Brief
The verb 'separate' [ˈsɛpəreɪt] means to divide into different parts or sections, to cause people or things to stop being together, joined, or connected, or to be not joined or touching physically. It can refer to physical objects, relationships, or abstract concepts, as in 'The salt and pepper should be kept in separate containers.' 'Separate' extends into phrases like 'separate the wheat from the chaff,' and idioms like 'separate ways,' denoting diverging paths, and 'separate beds, but united hearts,' implying emotional closeness despite physical distance.
