tear Hear it!

tear1 definition

tear (ter)

transitive verb tore, torn, tearing tear′·ing

  1. to pull apart or separate into pieces by force; rip or rend (cloth, paper, etc.)
  2. to make or cause by tearing or puncturing to tear a hole in a dress
  3. to wound by tearing; lacerate skin torn and bruised
  4. to force apart or divide into factions; disrupt; split ranks torn by dissension
  5. to divide with doubt, uncertainty, etc.; agitate; torment a mind torn between duty and desire
  6. 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

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

intransitive verb

  1. to be torn
  2. to move violently or with speed; dash

noun

  1. the act of tearing
  2. the result of a tearing; torn place; rent
  3. a rushing pace; great hurry
  4. wear and tear
  5. Slang a carousal; spree

Related Forms:

tear Idioms

tear at

to make violent, pulling motions at in an attempt to tear or remove

tear down

  1. to wreck or demolish (a building, etc.)
  2. to dismantle or take apart to tear down an engine
  3. to cause to disintegrate
  4. to controvert or disprove (an argument, etc.) point by point

tear into

Informal to attack impetuously and, often, devastatingly

tear it

Slang to be that which brings about final failure, defeat, frustration, loss of patience, etc. that tears it!
tear2 definition

tear (tir)

noun

  1. 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
  2. anything resembling this, as a drop of transparent gum; tearlike mass
  3. sorrow; grief

Etymology: 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
tear Idioms

in tears

crying; weeping

Comments


Do you have more to add? Sign in to share your linguistic knowledge or observation.

Connect with Facebook