See Also: dismember(medicine)
Dismember(money)
dismember(dictionary)
dismember(dictionary)

dismember (iou)



dismember verb trans. ME.
[Old French desmembrer (mod. de-) from Proto-Romance (cf. medieval Latin dismembrare) from Latin DIS- 2 + membrum MEMBER noun. In sense 4 directly from DIS- 2 + MEMBER noun 2. Cf. DEMEMBER.]
Cut off the limbs of; tear or divide limb from limb. ME.
b. Carve (a heron or certain other birds). obsolete exc. Hist. LME.
fig. Break up into smaller units, esp. so as to mutilate; spec. partition (an empire or other territory). ME.
Sever (a limb) from or from the body; fig. separate (a part) from or from the main body. Now rare. L16.
Deprive of membership. M17.
dismembered ppl adjective that has been dismembered; spec. (Heraldry) having the limbs narrowly separated from the body: M16.
dismemberer noun L16.