Phrase guide

divide and rule

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

Synonym of divide and conquer.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: government, politics

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: divide and conquer

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Calque of Latin divide et impera.

Across languages

Translations

24 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: فَرِّقْ تَسُدْ (farriq tasud) — Divide and conquer
  • Chinese Mandarin: 分而治之 (fēn'érzhìzhī) — Divide and conquer
  • Czech: rozděl a panuj — Divide and conquer
  • Dutch: deel en heers — Divide and conquer
  • Dutch: verdeel en heers — Divide and conquer
  • Estonian: jaga ja valitse — Divide and conquer
  • Finnish: hajota ja hallitse — Divide and conquer
  • French: diviser pour régner — Divide and conquer
  • French: diviser pour mieux régner — Divide and conquer
  • Georgian: დაყავი და იბატონე (daq̇avi da ibaṭone) — Divide and conquer
  • German: teile und herrsche — Divide and conquer
  • Greek: διαίρει και βασίλευε (diaírei kai vasíleve) — Divide and conquer
  • Icelandic: deila og drottna — Divide and conquer
  • Korean: 분열시켜 지배하다 (bunyeolsikyeo jibaehada) — Divide and conquer
  • Latin: divide et impera — Divide and conquer
  • Lithuanian: skaldyk ir valdyk — Divide and conquer
  • Pannonian Rusyn: подзель и пануй (podzelʹ i panuj) — Divide and conquer
  • Persian: تفرقه بینداز و حکومت کن (tafraqe biyandâz o hokumat kon) — Divide and conquer
  • Polish: dzielić i rządzić — Divide and conquer
  • Portuguese: dividir e governar — Divide and conquer
  • Russian: разделя́й и вла́ствуй (razdeljáj i vlástvuj) — Divide and conquer
  • Spanish: divide y reinarás — Divide and conquer
  • Spanish: divide y vencerás — Divide and conquer
  • Tajik: тафрақа андозу ҳукумат кун (tafraqa andozu hukumat kun) — Divide and conquer