Baretti: A dictionary of the English and Italian languages
Fénd-ere, v. a. (pass. fendei & fes-si, Fénd-se, Fénd-sero,)
1. to cleave, slit, split or cut, rive, separate. — l'aria, to cut the air. — l'acqua, to cleave the water. — i campi, to grub up, to plough;v. n. to cleave, split, slit; 2. to crack. Questa sorta di legno non si fende mai, this kind of wood never cracks; s. m. Fénd-itóre, f. Fénd-itríce.
Florio: a worlde of wordes, or most copious, dictionarie in Italian and English
fendere: to cleaue, to riue, to chap, to spall, to splint, to shiuer, to burst in sunder.