divide something fifty-fifty
and split something fifty-fiftyto divide something into two equal parts. (The fifty means 50 percent.) Tommy and Billy divided the candy fifty-fifty. The robbers split the money fifty-fifty.
(It's) time to run.
and (It's) time to move along.; (It's) time to push along.; (It's) time to push off.; (It's) time to split.Inf. an announcement of one's desire or need to depart. (See also (I) have to shove off and (It's) time to hit the road for an illustration of other possible variations.) Andy: Time to push off. I've got to get home. Henry: See you, dude. John: It's time to split. I've got to go. Sue: Okay. See you tomorrow.
(I've) got to split.
Inf. Fig. I have to leave now. (See also (I) have to shove off for other possible variations.) Jane: Look at the time! Got to split. Mary: See you later, Jane. Bill: It's getting late. I've got to split. Sue: Okay, see you tomorrow. Bill: Good night.
split a gut
and bust a gut 1. Fig. Inf. to laugh very hard. He laughed until he nearly split a gut. The clown made me bust a gut laughing.
2. Fig. Inf. to work very hard. I split a gut to get this place fixed up in a week. Don't bust a gut cleaning up for me. I love things that are a bit messy.
split hairs
Fig. to quibble; to try to make petty distinctions. They don't have any serious differences. They are just splitting hairs. Don't waste time splitting hairs. Accept it the way it is.
split in something
to divide into a certain number of groups. (The something can be half, thirds, two, quarters, etc.) Lightning struck the big tree and the trunk split in half. The vase dropped and split in quarters.
split off (from something)
to separate away from something; to sever connection with and separate from something. A large iceberg split off from the glacier and made an enormous splash. A giant chunk of ice split off and floated away.
split one's sides (with laughter)
Fig. to laugh so hard that one's sides almost split. (Always an exaggeration.) The members of the audience almost split their sides with laughter. When I heard what happened to Patricia, I almost split my sides.
split people up
to separate two or more people (from one another). If you two don't stop chattering, I'll have to split you up. I will have to split up that twosome in the corner.
*split second
an instant; a tiny period of time. (*Typically: for ~; in ~.) The lightning struck, and in a split second the house burst into flames. For a split second, it looked like she would fall.
split someone or something up (into something)
to divide people or things up into something, such as groups. I had to split the group up into two sections—there were so many who showed up. I split up the class into two discussion sections.
split someone or something with someone or something
to divide someone or something with someone or a group of people. I will split the campers with you. You lead your half on the hike, and I will lead my half. Will you split your candy bar with me?
split something between (someone and someone else)
and split something between (something and something else)to divide something between two people or things. The cook split the last of the pie between Jane and Carla. We have to split the copies of the reports between the two committees.
split something into something
to divide or sever something into something. Jeff split the log into four parts. Please split this log in half so it will burn better.
split something off (of) something
and split something offto sever connection with something; to separate from something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Dave split a piece of wood off the log to use for kindling. He split off a stick of wood.
split the difference
to divide the difference evenly (with someone else). You want to sell for $120, and I want to buy for $100. Let's split the difference and close the deal at $110. I don't want to split the difference. I want $120.
split up (with someone)
[for someone] to separate from someone; to break up a marriage or love affair. Jeff split up with Judy. I had heard that they had split up with each other.
vote a split ticket
Fig. to cast a ballot on which one's votes are divided between two or more parties. I always vote a split ticket since I detest both parties. Mary voted a split ticket for the first time in her life.
split hairs
Make trivial distinctions, quibble, as in Let's not split hairs about whose turn it is; I'll close up today and you do it tomorrow. This metaphoric idiom transfers dividing so fine an object as a single hair to other petty divisions. [Second half of 1600s]
split one's sides
Also, laugh one's head off. Be extremely amused, laugh uproariously. For example, That comedian had us splitting our sides, or Jane laughed her head off when she saw Rob's costume. The first of these hyperbolic terms dates from about 1700.
split second
An instant, a fraction of a second, as in Our best swimmer came in a split second before theirs. This expression alludes to a stop watch that has two second hands, one above the other, for timing more than one athlete or intervals of a race by a single athlete. Each hand can be stopped independently of the other, so a second can be "split" when one second hand stops a fraction of a second after the other. [c. 1880]
split the difference
Compromise between two close figures, divide the remainder equally. For example, You're asking $5,000 for the car and I'm offering $4,000; let's split the difference and make it $4,500 . [c. 1700]
split ticket
A ballot cast for candidates of more than one party, as in
I'm registered as an Independent, and indeed I usually vote a split ticket. This idiom uses
ticket in the sense of "a list of nominees for office," a usage dating from the late 1700s. Also see
straight ticket.