They were dismembered by vote of the house.
R. North.
Syn. -- To disjoint; dislocate; dilacerate; mutilate; divide; sever.
Dis*mem"ber*ment (?), n. [Cf. OF. desmembrement, F. démembrement.] The act of dismembering, or the state of being dismembered; cutting in piece; m&?;tilation; division; separation.
The Castilians would doubtless have resented the dismemberment of the unwieldy body of which they formed the head.
Macaulay.
Dis*met"tled (?), a. Destitute of mettle, that is, or fire or spirit. [R.] Llewellyn.
Dis*miss" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dismissed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Dismissing.] [L. dis- + missus, p. p. of mittere to send: cf. dimittere, OF. desmetre, F. démettre. See Demise, and cf. Dimit.] 1. To send away; to give leave of departure; to cause or permit to go; to put away.
He dismissed the assembly.
Acts xix. 41.
Dismiss their cares when they dismiss their flock.
Cowper.
Though he soon dismissed himself from state affairs.
Dryden.
2. To discard; to remove or discharge from office, service, or employment; as, the king dismisses his ministers; the matter dismisses his servant.
3. To lay aside or reject as unworthy of attentions or regard, as a petition or motion in court.
Dis*miss", n. Dismission. [Obs.] Sir T. Herbert.
Dis*miss"al (?), n. Dismission; discharge.
Officeholders were commanded faithfully to enforce it, upon pain of immediate dismissal.
Motley.
Dis*mis"sion (?), n. [Cf. L. dimissio.] 1. The act dismissing or sending away; permission to leave; leave to depart; dismissal; as, the dismission of the grand jury.
2. Removal from office or employment; discharge, either with honor or with disgrace.