Crossword Genius

Part — with ease, if broken? (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

separate

'part' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'ease if broken?' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'broken?' could be 'ate' (eating is a kind of breaking) and 'ate' is present in the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

'with' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for separate that I've seen before include "Take or keep apart" , "Dinstinct or discrete" , "Unconnected" , "divorce" , "Break up" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.
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