dismember Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb separate the limbs from the body
    • the tiger dismembered the tourist
  2. verb divide into pieces
    discerp; take apart.
    • our department was dismembered when our funding dried up
    • The Empire was discerped after the war

WordNet

Dis*mem"ber transitive verb
Etymology
OF. desmembrer, F. démembrer; pref. des- (L. dis) + OF. & F. membre limb. See Member.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Dismembered ; present participle & verbal noun Dismembering
Definitions
  1. To tear limb from limb; to dilacerate; to disjoin member from member; to tear or cut in pieces; to break up.
    Fowls obscene dismembered his remains. Pope.
    A society lacerated and dismembered. Gladstone.
    By whose hands the blow should be struck which would dismember that once mighty empire. Buckle.
  2. To deprive of membership. Obs.
    They were dismembered by vote of the house. R. North.
    Syn. -- To disjoint; dislocate; dilacerate; mutilate; divide; sever.

Webster 1913