Quick Definition
διασπάω v. I tear apart, burst
Strong's Definition
from 1223 and 4685; to draw apart, i.e. sever or dismember
KJV Usage: pluck asunder, pull in pieces
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
διασπάω diaspaō 2x
to pull or tear asunder or in pieces, burst, Mk. 5:4; Acts 23:10*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
δια-σπάω, -ῶ
[in LXX chiefly for נתק, as Jg 16:9 ;]
to break or tear asunder: pass., ἁλύσεις, Mk 5:4; Παῦλος, Ac 23:10.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
διασπάω διασάφησόν μοι, 7. 45° (B.C. 153) & efor] οὐ δεδύνημαι διασαφῆσαι διὰ τοῦ ἐπιστολίου, P Grenf II. 33! (B.C. 100) περὶ Tod διασαφουμένου μέρους γῆς, and from the inseriptions Sy// 790°? (i/B.c.) ἐν τῶι ψηφίσματι διασαφεῖται τῶι κεκ[υἱρωμένων περὶ τοῦ [μαν]τείου ἐφ᾽ ἱερέως Kplvwvos. If we may judge from the contrast between papyri B.C. and A.pD., the verb went out of common vernacular use during the NT period, which would account for the curious fact that only one NT writer (Mt) uses it at all. however five times in Vettius Valens. It occurs
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
διασπάω (diaspaō) — to tear apart. δια-σπάω, future -σπάσομαι [ᾰ] [Refs 5th c.BC+] also -σπάσω[Refs 5th c.BC+]aorist -έσπᾰσα, middle -εσπασάμην[Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect -έσπᾰκα [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, aorist -εσπάσθην: perfect -έσπασμαι (see. below):—tear asunder, τοὺς ἄνδρας κρεοργηδὸν δ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. τὸ σταύρωμα to break through or tear down the palisade, [Refs]; δ. τὴν γέφυραν, τὸ ἔδαφος, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; break up, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]: metaphorically, διασπᾶν τὴν σύμπνοιαν τοῦ παντός [Refs 4th c.AD+]:—passive, διέσπασται μελέων φύσις [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. ἀπὸ τῶν φίλων to be torn away from.., [Refs 4th c.BC+]
2. in military sense, separate part of an army from the rest, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of army and fleet, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δ. τὰς φάλαγγας break them up, [Refs 4th c.BC+] —passive, στράτευμα διεσπασμένον an army scattered and in disorder, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of a fleet, [Refs]to be widely scattered, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. metaphorically, pull different ways, πόλεις distract states, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; διέσπακε τὴν ἱστορίαν has broken the continuity of the narrative, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, διασπώμενος distracted, πρὸς τοσαύτας ὑπηρεσίας [Refs 2nd c.AD+]