sev·er /'se-vər/ vt sev·ered, sev·er·ing
1: to end (a joint tenancy) by ending one or all of the unities of time, title, possession, or interest (as by conveying one tenant's interest to another party)
2: to separate (as a contract) into different parts (as independent obligations) in order to treat each separately
3 a: to try (criminal offenses or defendants) separately in order to avoid prejudice
b: to split (a criminal trial) into multiple trials in order to avoid prejudice
c: to try (civil claims or issues pleaded in the same case) separately
sev·er·ance /'se-vrəns, -və-rens/ n
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.