\def\boxsplit{% % total height of original box \dimtemp\ht\boxtail \advance\dimtemp\dp\boxtail % split original box in order to retrieve its first line \setbox\boxhead\vsplit\boxtail to 0pt % fix the height of the first line \setbox\boxhead\vbox{\unvbox\boxhead}% % restore original size \setbox\boxtemp\vbox{\copy\boxhead\copy\boxtail}% \advance\dimtemp-\ht\boxtemp \advance\dimtemp-\dp\boxtemp \advance\dimtemp\dp\boxhead \dp\boxhead\dimtemp }