1. (

• matchwood ,
• splinters

) wood in small pieces or splinters; "the vessel was beaten to matchwood on the rocks" ;

1. (

• secede ,
• splinter ,
• break_away

) withdraw from an organization or communion; "After the break up of the Soviet Union, many republics broke away" ;

2. (

• sliver ,
• splinter ,

) divide into slivers or splinters ;

3. (

• splinter ,
• sliver

) break up into splinters or slivers; "The wood splintered" ;