1 sep·a·rate
Pronounced:
/ˈsɛpərət/
Function:
adjectiveMeaning:
1 : not joined, connected, or combined : placed or kept apart ▪ two separate building ▪ There are separate restrooms for men and women. ▪ The boys/girls have separate rooms. ▪ They slept in separate beds. ▪ We use the same Internet service provider but have separate accounts. ▪ The company broke up into three separate [=independent] entities. ▪ Each state has a separate set of laws [=has its own set of laws] concerning marriage. ▪ He tries to keep his private life and public life separate (from each other). = He tries to keep his private life separate from his public life.
2 : different from something else ▪ I met him on four separate [=different] occasions. : not related ▪ That's an entirely separate issue.
2 : different from something else ▪ I met him on four separate [=different] occasions. : not related ▪ That's an entirely separate issue.
go your separate ways
1 : to end a relationship with someone ▪ After 20 years of marriage, they decided to go their separate ways.
2 : to go in different directions after being together ▪ After dinner we went our separate ways.
2 : to go in different directions after being together ▪ After dinner we went our separate ways.
under separate cover —see 2cover
—sep·a·rate·ness noun [noncount]