transitive verb rent, rending rend′·ing

1. to tear, pull, or rip with violence: with from, off, away, etc.
2. to tear, pull apart, rip up, or split with violence [a tree rent by lightning]: often used figuratively [a roar rends the air]
3. to tear (one's clothing) to show grief, anguish, etc.

Etymology: ME renden < OE rendan, akin to OFris renda < IE base *rendh-, to tear apart > rind, Sans randhram, fissure, split

intransitive verb