Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Dismember \Dis*mem"ber\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Dismembered}; p.
   pr. & vb. n. {Dismembering}.] [OF. desmembrer, F.
   d['e]membrer; pref. des- (L. dis) + OF. & F. membre limb. See
   {Member}.]
   1. To tear limb from limb; to dilacerate; to disjoin member
      from member; to tear or cut in pieces; to break up.

            Fowls obscene dismembered his remains. --Pope.

            A society lacerated and dismembered.  --Gladstone.

            By whose hands the blow should be struck which would
            dismember that once mighty empire.    --Buckle.

   2. To deprive of membership. [Obs.]

            They were dismembered by vote of the house. --R.
                                                  North.

   Syn: To disjoint; dislocate; dilacerate; mutilate; divide;
        sever.

Source : WordNet®

dismember
     v 1: separate the limbs from the body; "the tiger dismembered the
          tourist"
     2: divide into pieces; "our department was dismembered when our
        funding dried up"; "The Empire was discerped after the
        war" [syn: {take apart}, {discerp}]