Lewis & Short

dĭrĭmo, ēmi, emptum (perf. dirempsi, cited as error, Charis. 220 P.), 3, v. a. [disĕmo, like diribeo, from dis-habeo], to take apart; to part, separate, divide (class.; esp. freq. in the trop. sense—cf.: findo, scindo, divello, separo, sejungo, segrego, secerno).

  1. I. Lit.: dirimi corpus distrahive, Cic. N. D. 3, 12; cf. Lucr. 6, 1075: Tiberis Veientem agrum a Crustumino dirimens, Plin. 3, 5, 9, § 53; cf.: castris Ilerdam, Luc. 4, 33: sontes justis (Minos), Claud. ap. Rufin. 2, 477: oppida nostra unius diei itinere dirimuntur, are separated from each other, Plin. Ep. 6, 8, 2; cf.: urbs Vulturno flumine dirempta, Liv. 22, 15; and: dirempta mari gens, Plin. Pan. 32; and absol.: dirimente amne, Liv. 42, 39 et saep.
    Poet., of cutting through the waves in a ship, Stat. Th. 5, 482.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. To break off, interrupt, to disturb, put off, delay (the fig. is taken from combatants who are parted asunder; transferred, like the opp. committere, to things; cf.: dirimere infestas acies, dirimere iras, Liv. 1, 13): proelium tandem diremit nox, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 99; so, proelium, Caes. B. C. 1, 40 fin.; Sall. J. 60 fin.; Liv. 37, 32; Verg. A. 5, 467 al.; cf. Plin. Ep. 4, 9, 9: pugnam, Liv. 27, 13: bellum, id. 27, 30; 40, 52; Verg. A. 12, 79: certamina, Ov. M. 5, 314 et saep.: controversiam, i. e. to adjust, compose, Cic. Off. 3, 33, 119: seditionem, Front. Strat. 1, 8, 6: litem, Ov. M. 1, 21: rem arbitrio, id. F. 6, 98 et saep.; also, to separate, dissolve, break off a connection: conjunctionem civium, Cic. Off. 3, 5, 23: societatem, id. Sull. 2, 6; Liv. 8, 23: nuptias, Suet. Caes. 43: affinitatem, Tac. A. 12, 4: amicitias, id. ib. 6, 29; cf. Cic. Lael. 10, 34: caritatem quae est inter natos et parentes, id. ib. 8, 27: pacem, Liv. 9, 8; Quint. 2, 16, 7: conubium, Liv. 4, 6 et saep.
      So too, to interrupt, disturb, break up a conversation, deliberation, etc.: colloquium, Caes. B. G. 1, 46, 4: sermonem, Cic. Rep. 1, 11: concilia populi, Liv. 1, 36 fin.: comitia, id. 40, 59 al.; cf. absol.: actum est eo die nihil: nox diremit, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 13, 2.
    2. B. In gen., to destroy, frustrate, bring to naught: natura animaï morte dirempta, Lucr. 1, 114: auspicium, Liv. 8, 23 fin.; cf.: rem susceptam, Cic. Leg. 2, 12, 31: dirimere tempus et proferre diem, id. Div. 1, 39, 85: ea res consilium diremit, Sall. C. 18 fin.
      Absnl., to dissuade, to be unfavorable:       dirimen tibus auspicibus, Amm. 14, 10, 9.