4 VERB If you separate people or things that have been connected, or if one separates from another, the connection between them is ended. □ [V n + from ] They want to separate teaching from research. □ [V n] It's very possible that we may see a movement to separate the two parts of the country. □ [V + from ] …Catalan parties vowing to separate from Spain. [Also pl-n V ]
5 VERB If a couple who are married or living together separate , they decide to live apart. □ [V ] Her parents separated when she was very young. □ [V + from ] Since I separated from my husband I have gone a long way.
6 VERB An object, obstacle, distance, or period of time which separates two people, groups, or things exists between them. □ [V n + from ] …the white-railed fence that separated the yard from the paddock. □ [V n] They had undoubtedly made progress in the six years that separated the two periods. □ [get V -ed] But a group of six women and 23 children got separated from the others.
7 VERB If you separate one idea or fact from another, you clearly see or show the difference between them. □ [V n + from ] It is difficult to separate legend from truth. □ [V n] It is difficult to separate the two aims. ● PHRASAL VERB Separate out means the same as separate . □ [V P n + from ] How can one ever separate out the act from the attitudes that surround it?
8 VERB A quality or factor that separates one thing from another is the reason why the two things are different from each other. □ [V n + from ] The single most important factor that separates ordinary photographs from good photographs is the lighting.
9 VERB If a particular number of points separate two teams or competitors, one of them is winning or has won by that number of points. □ [V n] In the end only three points separated the two teams.
10 VERB If you separate a group of people or things into smaller elements, or if a group separates , it is divided into smaller elements. □ [V n + into ] The police wanted to separate them into smaller groups. □ [V + into ] Let's separate into smaller groups. □ [V ] So all the colours that make up white light are sent in different directions and they separate. ● PHRASAL VERB Separate out means the same as separate . □ [V P ] If prepared many hours ahead, the mixture may separate out.
11 N‑PLURAL Separates are clothes such as skirts, trousers, and shirts which cover just the top half or the bottom half of your body.
12 → see also separated
13 PHRASE When two or more people who have been together for some time go their separate ways , they go to different places or end their relationship. □ Sue and her husband decided to go their separate ways.
▸ separate out
1 PHRASAL VERB If you separate out something from the other things it is with, you take it out. □ [V P n + from ] The ability to separate out reusable elements from other waste is crucial. [Also V n P ]
2 → see also separate 7 , separate 10
sepa|rat|ed /se pəre I t I d/
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] Someone who is separated from their wife or husband lives apart from them, but is not divorced. □ Most single parents are either divorced or separated. □ [+ from ] Tristan had been separated from his partner for two years.
2 ADJ If you are separated from someone, for example your family, you are not able to be with them. □ [+ from ] The idea of being separated from him, even for a few hours, was torture.
sepa|rate|ly /se pərətli/ ADV [ADV with v] If people or things are dealt with separately or do something separately , they are dealt with or do something at different times or places, rather than together. □ Cook each vegetable separately until just tender. [Also + from ]
sepa|ra|tion /se pəre I ʃ ə n/ (separations )
1 N‑VAR The separation of two or more things or groups is the fact that they are separate or become separate, and are not linked. □ [+ between ] …a 'Christian republic' in which there was a clear separation between church and state.
2 N‑VAR During a separation , people who usually live together are not together. □ [+ from ] All children will tend to suffer from separation from their parents and siblings.
3 N‑VAR If a couple who are married or living together have a separation , they decide to live apart. □ They agreed to a trial separation.
sepa|ra|tism /se pərət I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Separatism is the beliefs and activities of separatists.
sepa|ra|tist /se pərət I st/ (separatists )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Separatist organizations and activities within a country involve members of a group of people who want to establish their own separate government or are trying to do so. □ …the Basque separatist movement.
2 N‑COUNT Separatists are people who want their own separate government or are involved in separatist activities. □ The army has come under attack by separatists.
se|pia /siː piə/ COLOUR Something that is sepia is deep brown in colour, like the colour of very old photographs. □ The walls are hung with sepia photographs of old school heroes.
Sept. or Sep. Sept. is a written abbreviation for September . □ I've booked it for Thurs. 8th Sept.