parting of the ways

a point at which people separate and go their own ways. (Often with come to a, arrive at a, reach a, etc.) Jane and Bob finally came to a parting of the ways. Bill and his parents reached a parting of the ways.

a separation of two things or people because of a disagreement We came to a parting of the ways because of our different ideas about what should be done to move the company forward.

A point of divergence, especially an important one, as in When Jim decided to travel with the band and Jill wanted a more normal home life, they came to a parting of the ways . This term, which transfers a fork in a road to alternative courses of action, appears in the Bible (Ezekiel 21:21), where the king of Babylon must decide whether or not to attack Jerusalem: "[He] stood at the parting of the way." [c. 1600]

A point of divergence, especially one of great moment.