ab-scindo, cĭdi, cissum, 3, v. a., to tear off or away, to rend away (v. preced. art.).
- I. Lit.: tunicam a pectore abscidit, he tore the tunic down from his breast, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 1: cervicibus fractis caput abscidit, cut off, id. Phil. 11, 5.
With simple abl.: umeris abscindere vestem, Verg. A. 5, 685; with de, id. G. 2, 23: nec quidquam deus abscidit terras, torn asunder, separated, Hor. C. 1, 3, 21; cf. Verg. A. 3, 418; Ov. M. 1, 22 al.: venas, to open the veins, Tac. A. 15, 69; 16, 11.
- II. Trop., to cut off, separate, divide (rare): reditus dulces, to cut off, Hor. Epod. 16, 35: inane soldo, to separate, id. S. 1, 2, 113: querelas alicujus, Val. Fl. 2, 160: jus, Dig. 28, 2, 9, § 2.