English

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Etymology

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In reference to the proverb, a house divided against itself cannot stand.

Noun

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house divided (plural houses divided)

  1. Something characterised by internal dissent or conflict.
    • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 204:
      Despite the wish of many clerics to tailor their faith and to transform their lives to the demands of a more secular age, the fact remained that the church was a house divided, and its divisions reduced its efficacy against philosophe attacks.
    • 2009 April 2, Ben Jones, The Guardian:
      For all the reported "successes" at the centre, Uganda is a house divided.
    • 2016 August 29, Anna Moeslein, “The Best and Worst Moments of the MTV VMAs 2016”, in Glamour[1]:
      Kanye [West]'s speech was...something, that's for sure. As for a best or worst moment? Apparently, it depends on what you think of Yeezy because Twitter was a house divided.