Sev"er, v. i. 1. To
suffer disjunction; to be parted, or rent asunder; to be separated; to
part; to separate. Shak.
2. To make a separation or distinction; to
distinguish.
The Lord shall sever between the cattle of
Israel and the cattle of Egypt.
Ex. ix. 4.
They claimed the right of severing in their
challenge.
Macaulay.Sev"er (?), v. t. [imp. &. p.
p. Severed (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Severing.] [OF. sevrer, severer, to separate, F.
sevrer to wean, fr. L. separare. See Separate,
and cf. Several.] 1. To separate, as one
from another; to cut off from something; to divide; to part in any
way, especially by violence, as by cutting, rending, etc.; as, to
sever the head from the body.
The angels shall come forth, and sever the
wicked from among the just.
Matt. xiii. 49.
2. To cut or break open or apart; to divide
into parts; to cut through; to disjoin; as, to sever the arm or
leg.
Our state can not be severed; we are
one.
Milton.
3. To keep distinct or apart; to except; to
exempt.
I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in
which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be
there.
Ex. viii. 22.
4. (Law) To disunite; to disconnect; to
terminate; as, to sever an estate in joint tenancy.
Blackstone.