division
division — noun
1. the process of taking a whole thing, a group, or an amount and breaking it into
the process of taking a whole thing, a group, or an amount and breaking it into smaller parts, or the way in which those parts are then shared or arranged
The division of the estate among the four children took months to finalize.
division of [noun] among [plural noun] — sharing pattern
Mira oversaw the division of the warehouse into separate storage zones.
A clear division of responsibilities helped the team work more smoothly.
After the division of the kingdom, the two regions developed very different cultures.
The division of labour on the farm meant everyone knew their own job.
- splitting
less formal, focuses on the physical act of breaking apart
- separation
emphasises putting distance between parts rather than organising them
- partition
formal, often used for dividing land, rooms, or data
文法句型
division + of + noun + into + plural noun
用法筆記
Uncountable when it refers to the act or process as a general idea (e.g. 'the division of labour'). Countable when it refers to a specific instance or result (e.g. 'a division of the land into three plots').
常見錯誤
2. a separate department or section within a large company, government, or military
a separate department or section within a large company, government, or military force that has its own area of work and its own managers or leaders
Saira works in the research division of a pharmaceutical company in Taipei.
The company's software division grew faster than any other part of the business.
software / marketing / finance division — typical noun + division pattern
The general commanded an entire infantry division during the campaign.
The bank created a new division to handle international customer complaints.
The marketing division submitted its budget proposal on Friday.
- department
smaller in scale; less autonomous than a division
- section
used for smaller units within a department
- branch
often a geographic office rather than a functional unit
文法句型
[adjective] division
division of [company name]
用法筆記
In business contexts, 'division' is larger and more autonomous than a 'department'. In military contexts, an army division typically contains 10,000–15,000 soldiers. Distinguish from sense 8 (ADMINISTRATIVE AREA), which refers to a geographical region rather than an organisational unit.
3. a set of sports teams or individual competitors that are grouped together in a l
a set of sports teams or individual competitors that are grouped together in a league based on factors such as skill level, age, or body weight
Their basketball team got promoted to the top division after winning every game.
promoted to / relegated from a division — common sports grammar
Vinícius competes in the under‑18 division of the national swimming championships.
Teams in lower divisions often struggle to attract large audiences to their matches.
The heavyweight division includes fighters who weigh more than ninety kilograms.
文法句型
[league/competition] + division
用法筆記
Sports divisions are typically arranged hierarchically. Teams may be 'promoted' to a higher division or 'relegated' to a lower one based on their performance. In combat sports, the term refers to weight classes such as the 'welterweight division'.
4. the arithmetic process of determining what number results when you separate one
the arithmetic process of determining what number results when you separate one quantity into a particular number of equal parts
In maths class today the children practised division with numbers up to one hundred.
Division is the opposite of multiplication — if four times three is twelve, then twelve divided by four is three.
division as the inverse of multiplication
The teacher showed the class how to check a division problem by multiplying the answer back.
Yuki struggled with long division until she started using a number line at home.
- multiplication
the inverse operation of division
文法句型
division of [number] by [number]
用法筆記
Uncountable when referring to the general concept or school subject. For a single calculation, speakers typically say 'a division problem' or 'a division sum' rather than using 'division' countably. The symbol ÷ is read as 'divided by'.
常見錯誤
5. a situation in which members of a group hold sharply different opinions or feeli
a situation in which members of a group hold sharply different opinions or feelings, creating tension or conflict that pulls them apart
Deep divisions within the party led to the resignation of two cabinet members.
deep divisions within [group] — intensifier + preposition pattern
There is a growing division between older and younger voters on the issue of housing.
The division among board members over the budget caused several delays.
The project failed because of a division of opinions between the two lead designers.
Nia tried to reduce the division in the team by organising a face‑to‑face discussion.
文法句型
division + among/between + plural noun
用法筆記
Countable when referring to a specific instance or type of disagreement ('a division', 'several divisions'). Uncountable when referring to disagreement as a general state ('division among members'). Often paired with the adjectives 'deep', 'sharp', or 'growing'.
常見錯誤
6. one of the pieces or shares that something has been split into
one of the pieces or shares that something has been split into
Each division of the inheritance was placed into a separate bank account.
The book is organised into three main divisions, each covering a different century.
main divisions of a book — typical for texts/works
The first division of the report deals with the company's financial history.
Paul kept the largest division of the land for growing vegetables and fruit trees.
文法句型
division + of + noun
用法筆記
Overlaps somewhat with sense 1 (SEPARATION). Sense 1 focuses on the act or process of separating; sense 6 focuses on the resulting piece or section itself. Use 'division' for formal, structured splits (chapters of a book, sections of a report, parts of an inheritance). For everyday portions, 'part' or 'section' is more natural.
7. a physical line, barrier, or feature that marks where one area or thing ends and
a physical line, barrier, or feature that marks where one area or thing ends and another begins
The mountain range forms a natural division between the two countries.
natural division between [area] and [area]
A wide river served as the division between the farming region and the forest.
The wooden fence was the only division between the neighbours' gardens.
Historians still argue about where the division between the medieval and modern periods should be drawn.
- boundary
more formal; the official line between two areas
- border
used for political boundaries between countries or states
- dividing line
more explicit; can be physical or abstract
文法句型
division + between + noun + and + noun
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 8 (ADMINISTRATIVE AREA). Sense 7 refers to the boundary itself — a line, wall, river, or mountain — whereas sense 8 refers to the territory on either side of the boundary. This sense can also be used figuratively for conceptual boundaries (e.g. between historical periods).
8. a named area within a country, state, or city that is treated as a separate unit
a named area within a country, state, or city that is treated as a separate unit for government, elections, or official record-keeping
The city is split into five administrative divisions, each with its own mayor's office.
administrative division — standard term
Hannah's village belongs to the northern division of the county.
Election results are reported separately for each electoral division of the district.
The administrative division known as "New Territories" covers a large part of Hong Kong.
文法句型
[proper noun] + division
用法筆記
Different countries use different terms for their administrative divisions: 'state', 'province', 'prefecture', 'department', 'region'. 'Division' is the generic term applicable across systems, and is also the official term in some countries (e.g. India's administrative divisions). Distinguish from sense 2 (ORGANIZATION UNIT), which refers to a unit within a company or army rather than a geographical territory.