a·part [? p?rt] CORE MEANING: a grammatical word meaning separated in space or time adverb scheduled appointments a month apart adverb living apart adjective hard to be apart adjective sitting with legs apart1. adverb not together: separated in space or time She placed the chairs some distance apart. 2. adverb into pieces: into separate parts or sections take the machine apart pulled the two scuffling children apart 3. adverb moving away after being together: away from somebody or something after previously being together We’ve drifted apart over the years. 4. adverb removed from consideration: set aside or excluded from consideration, or taken as an exception The orange-flowered tie apart, it was a pretty cool outfit. 5. adverb into difficulty: into a bad or difficult condition ripped the peace process apart 6. adverb of separate kind: different and consequently separate from others a world apart 7. adjective separated: away from each other in position or location I think of her all the time we’re apart. [14th century. < Old French a part "to the side"] -a·part·ness, noun apart from aside from