1. Assign an initial value to a computer program
   "The developer initialised the variables at the start of the program";
   - initialize
    
2. Divide (a disk) into marked sectors so that it may store data
   "Please initialise this disk before entering data!";
   - format, initialize

Derived forms: initialises, initialised, initialising

Type of: carve up, determine, dissever [rare], divide, separate, set, split, split up