divulse

English

Etymology

From Latin dīvulsus (“torn apart”), from Latin dīvellō (“to tear apart”).

Verb

divulse (third-person singular simple present divulses, present participle divulsing, simple past and past participle divulsed)

1. (transitive, medicine) To pull apart forcibly.
   • 2005, Dean T. Smith, Homoeopathy Before and After Surgery, page 43:

     The divulsing may be done with the Pratt rectal speculum, or with the fingers or thumbs. The fingers should slip far enough into the bowel to grasp the internal sphincter. The muscle is to be stretched quite sharply and then relaxed, […]

Latin

Participle

dīvulse

1. vocative masculine singular of dīvulsus