Lewis & Short

scindo, scĭdi, scissum, 3 (old perf. redupl. scicidi, Enn., Naev., Att, and Afran. ap. Prisc. p. 890 P.; or Enn. p. 133 Vanl.; Com. Rel. pp. 19 and 164 Rib.; cf. also, sciciderat. Gell 6, 9, 16), v. a. [akin to Gr. σχίζω, to split; cf. Germ. scheiden, and Lat. scio], to cut, tear, rend, or break asunder; to split, cleave, divide, or separate by force, etc. (freq. and class.; but in tempp.perf.ante-class.and postAug.; syn.: findo, rumpo).

  1. I. Lit.: quom saxum scisciderit, Enn. ap. Prisc. l. l.: non ergo aquila scisciderat pectus, Att. ib. and ap. Gell. l. l.: satis fortiter vestras sciscidistis colus, Afran. ap. Prisc. l. l.: scindens dolore identidem intonsam comam, Att. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 26, 62: crines, Verg. A. 12, 870; Ov. M. 11, 683: capillos, id. H. 3, 79; Tib. 1, 10, 55; cf., in a Greek construction: scissaeque capillos matres, Ov. M. 8, 526: vela, Plaut. Trin. 4, 1, 18: epistulam, Cic. Fam. 5, 20, 9: vestem, to tear open, Liv. 3, 58; Quint. 2, 15, 7; Prop. 2, 15 (3, 7), 18; Ov. M. 9, 166; Hor. C. 1, 17, 27; cf.: vestem tibi de corpore, Prop. 2, 5, 21: pecora scindunt herbarum radices, Col. 2, 18, 2: asini me mordicibus scindant, tear, lacerate, Plaut. Aul. 2, 2, 57: sinus, Ov. M. 10, 386: latus flagello, id. Ib. 185: lacerum corpus ictibus innumeris, Sil. 1, 172: vitiato fistula plumbo Scinditur, bursts open, Ov. M. 4, 123; cf.: et faceret scissas languida ruga genas, wrinkled, Prop. 3, 10, 6: vallum, to break through, tear up, Caes. B. G. 3, 5; 5, 51; Liv. 7, 37; Tac. H. 4, 28: limen portae, to break in pieces, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 9, 31: pontem, to break down, id. ib. 5, 26: cuneis lignum, to split, cleave, Verg. G. 1, 144: quercum cuneis, id. A. 7, 510: cuneis fissile robur, id. ib. 6, 182; cf.: ferro aequor (i. e. humum), id. G. 1, 50; cf. solum, id. ib. 2, 399: vomere terram, Ov. A. A. 2, 671: freta ictu (remorum), id. M. 11, 463: puppis aquas, id. Tr. 1, 10, 48: fluvios natatu, Claud. Cons. Hon. 4, 347: tellurem mare scindit, Luc. 3, 61: agmen, Tac. A. 1, 65 et saep.: labra, to open wide, Quint. 11, 3, 81: obsonium, to cut up, carve, Sen. Vit. Beat. 17; cf. nihil (edulium), Mart. 3, 12, 2: aves in frusta, Sen. Brev. Vit. 12.
        1. b. Prov.: penulam alicui, to tear off one’s travelling cloak, i.e. to urge, press, solicit one to stay, Cic. Att. 13, 33, 4.
    1. B. Transf., to part, separate, divide; of places: dirimit scinditque Sueviam continuum montium jugum, Tac. G. 43: frons Italia in duo se cornua scindit, Mel. 2, 4, 7.
      Mid.: omnis Italia scinditur in duo promuntoria, Sall. H. 4, 18 Dietsch.
      In gen.: se (lutamenta), Cato, R. R. 128: se (nubes), Verg. A. 1, 587.
      Mid.: omnis fumus, vapor, etc. … scinduntur per iter flexum, Lucr. 4, 91: scinditur in geminas partes circumfluus amnis, Ov. M. 15, 739; Luc. 1, 551.
      Absol.: sentes quod tetigere, ilico rapiunt: si eas ereptum, ilico scindunt, Plaut. Cas. 3, 6, 2.
      1. 2. To destroy: scindunt proceres Pergamum, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 9, 130.
  2. II. Trop., to tear in pieces, to distract, agitate, disturb, etc.: aliquem quāvis scindunt cuppedine curae, Lucr. 3, 994: quantae tum scindunt hominem cuppedinis acres Sollicitum curae, id. 5, 46: nolo commemorare, quibus rebus sim spoliatus, ne scindam ipse dolorem meum, tear open, i. e. renew my grief, Cic. Att. 3, 15, 2: non sine piaculo sanctissimas necessitudines scindi, to be sundered, separated, Plin. Pan. 37 fin.: ut (actio) noctis interventu scinderetur, was interrupted, id. Ep. 2, 11, 16: verba fletu, Ov. P. 3, 1, 157: vox scinditur, is broken, cracked, Quint. 11, 3, 20: sic genus amborum scindit se sanguine ab uno, divides, branches off, Verg. A. 8, 142; cf.: scidit deinde se studium atque inertiā factum est, ut artes esse plures viderentur, was separated, divided, Quint. prooem. § 13; cf.: naturalis pars philosophiae in duo scinditur corporalia et incorporalia, Sen. Ep. 89, 16: scinditur incertum studia in contraria vulgus, Verg. A. 2, 39; cf. Tac. H. 1, 13: scindebatur in multiplices curas, Amm. 16, 3, 3.
    Hence, scissus, a, um, P. a., split, cleft, divided.
    1. A. Lit.: folia pluribus divisuris, Plin. 25, 5, 21, § 48: vitis folio, id. 14, 2, 4, § 23: scissae (aures) cervis ac velut divisae, id. 11, 37, 50, § 136: alumen, Col. 6, 13, 1 (for which: scissile alumen, Cels. 5, 2; 6, 11): vestibus, Vulg. Job, 2, 12.
    2. B. Trop.: genus vocum, harsh, grating, Cic. de Or. 3, 57, 216.
      No comp., sup., or adv.