dĭrĭbĕo, no perf., ĭtum, 2, v. a. [dishabeo, like dirimo, from dis-emo, to keep apart, hence],
I pub. law t. t., to lay apart, separate, divide, sort , the tablets or ballots taken out of the ballot-box, in order to determine who has the majority: dum de te quinque et septuaginta tabellae diribeantur, Cic. Pis. 40, 96 Halm: tabellas, id. Q. Fr. 3, 4, 1; id. Planc. 20, 49 Kayser, cf. Wund. ad loc.: suffragia, Varr. R. R. 3, 2, 1: sententias, Val. Max. 9, 12, 7; also absol. , Varr. R. R. 3, 5, 18 (al. dirimere).—*
II Transf., to distribute : qui gentes, regna diribet, Plin. 36, 15, 24, § 118.