Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » tear

tear

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

Tear means to pull or force something up or apart or rip into two or more pieces.

(verb)

An example of tear is pulling pages out of a magazine.
An example of tear is a pair of jeans being split in two.

The definition of a tear is the result of something being pulled or ripped apart.

(noun)

An example of tear is a separation in the seam of a dress.

Tear is defined as a salty liquid produced by the eye gland used to lubricate the eyes, wash away irritants or express intense emotion.

(noun)

An example of tear is what comes out of the eyes when someone is crying.

See tear in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb tore, torn, tearing

to pull apart or separate into pieces by force; rip or rend (cloth, paper, etc.)
to make or cause by tearing or puncturing: to tear a hole in a dress
to wound by tearing; lacerate: skin torn and bruised
to force apart or divide into factions; disrupt; split: ranks torn by dissension
to divide with doubt, uncertainty, etc.; agitate; torment: a mind torn between duty and desire
to remove by or as by tearing, pulling, etc.: with up, out, away, off, etc.: to tear a plant up by its roots, to tear oneself away

Origin: ME teren < OE teran, to rend, akin to Ger zehren, to destroy, consume < IE base *der-, to skin, split > drab, derma

intransitive verb

to be torn
to move violently or with speed; dash

noun

the act of tearing
the result of a tearing; torn place; rent
a rushing pace; great hurry
wear and tear
☆ Slang a carousal; spree

Related Forms:

tearer noun

noun

a drop of the salty fluid secreted by the lacrimal gland to lubricate the eyeball, kill bacteria, etc.: in humans, tears may flow for emotional reasons due to the tightening of muscles near the glands
anything resembling this, as a drop of transparent gum; tearlike mass
sorrow; grief

Origin: ME tere < OE tēar, teagor, akin to Ger zähre < IE *daru, tear > OL dacrima (> L lacrima), Gr dakryon

intransitive verb

to fill with tears

See tear in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb tore tore (tôr, tōr), torn torn (tôrn, tōrn), tear·ing, tears

verb, transitive

To pull apart or into pieces by force; rend.
To make (an opening) by ripping: tore a hole in my stocking.
To lacerate (the skin, for example).
To separate forcefully; wrench: tore the wrappings off the present.
To divide or disrupt: was torn between opposing choices; a country that was torn by strife.

verb, intransitive

To become torn.
To move with heedless speed; rush headlong.

noun

The act of tearing.
The result of tearing; a rip or rent.
A great rush; a hurry.
Slang A carousal; a spree.

Phrasal Verbs: tear around Informal To move about in excited, often angry haste. To lead a wild life. tear at To pull at or attack violently: The dog tore at the meat. To distress greatly: Their plight tore at his heart. tear away To remove (oneself, for example) unwillingly or reluctantly. tear down To demolish: tear down old tenements. To take apart; disassemble: tear down an engine. To vilify or denigrate. tear into To attack with great vigor or violence: tore into the food; tore into his opponent. tear off Informal To produce hurriedly and casually: tearing off article after news article. tear up To tear to pieces. To make an opening in: tore up the sidewalk to add a drain.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English teren

Origin: , from Old English teran; see der- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

tearˈer noun

noun

a. A drop of the clear salty liquid that is secreted by the lachrymal gland of the eye to lubricate the surface between the eyeball and eyelid and to wash away irritants.
b. tears A profusion of this liquid spilling from the eyes and wetting the cheeks, especially as an expression of emotion.
c. tears The act of weeping: criticism that left me in tears.
A drop of a liquid or hardened fluid.