See splinter in Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus II
verb
To crack or split into two or more fragments by means of or as a result of force, a blow, or strain:
break, fracture, rift, rive, shatter, shiver2, smash, sunder. See helpTo break away or withdraw from membership in an association or a federation.
Also used with off: secede. (Informal) split. See participate, politics
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