tear

[ tair ]

/ tɛər /

verb (used with object), tore or (Archaic) tare, torn or (Archaic) tare, tear·ing.

to pull apart or in pieces by force, especially so as to leave ragged or irregular edges.

to pull or snatch violently; wrench away with force: to tear wrappings from a package; to tear a book from someone's hands.

to distress greatly: anguish that tears the heart.

to divide or disrupt: a country torn by civil war.

to wound or injure by or as if by rending; lacerate.

to produce or effect by rending: to tear a hole in one's coat.

to remove by force or effort: to be unable to tear oneself from a place.

verb (used without object), tore or (Archaic) tare, torn or (Archaic) tare, tear·ing.

to become torn.

to make a tear or rent.

to move or behave with force, violent haste, or energy: The wind tore through the trees; cars tearing up and down the highway; I was tearing around all afternoon trying to find sandals for the beach.

noun

the act of tearing.

a rent or fissure.

a rage or passion; violent flurry or outburst.

Informal. a spree.

Verb Phrases

tear at,

to pluck violently at; attempt to tear: She tore at the bandages until they loosened.
to distress; afflict: remorse that tears at one's soul.

tear down,

to pull down; destroy; demolish.
to disparage or discredit: to tear down one's friends behind their backs.

tear into, Informal.

to attack impulsively and heedlessly: He tore into the food with a will.
to attack verbally: She tore into him for being late for dinner.

tear off, Slang. to perform or do, especially rapidly or casually: to tear off a poem; to tear off a set of tennis.

tear up,

to tear into small shreds: He tore up the drawings because she had criticized them.
to cancel or annul: to tear up a contract.

Idioms for tear

tear it, Slang. to ruin all hope; spoil everything.

tear one's hair, to manifest extreme anxiety, grief, anger, or frustration: I'm so upset, I could just tear my hair out. Also tear one's hair out.

Origin of tear

before 900; Middle English teren (v.), Old English teran; cognate with Dutch teren, German zehren to consume, Gothic distairan to destroy, Greek dérein to flay

synonym study for tear

1. Tear, rend, rip mean to pull apart. To tear is to split the fibers of something by pulling apart, usually so as to leave ragged or irregular edges: to tear open a letter. Rend implies force or violence in tearing apart or in pieces: to rend one's clothes in grief. Rip implies vigorous tearing asunder, especially along a seam or line: to rip the sleeves out of a coat.

OTHER WORDS FROM tear

tear·a·ble, adjective tear·a·ble·ness, noun tear·er, noun un·tear·a·ble, adjective

Words nearby tear

teamwork, teaneck, teapot, teapot dome, teapoy, tear, tear 1, tear apart, tear around, tear at, tear away

British Dictionary definitions for tear at (1 of 2)

tear ¹

/ (tɪə) /

noun

a drop of the secretion of the lacrimal glands See tears

something shaped like a hanging drop a tear of amber

Also called (esp Brit): teardrop

Derived forms of tear

tearless, adjective

Word Origin for tear

Old English tēar, related to Old Frisian, Old Norse tār, Old High German zahar, Greek dakri

British Dictionary definitions for tear at (2 of 2)

tear ²

/ (tɛə) /

verb tears, tearing, tore or torn

to cause (material, paper, etc) to come apart or (of material, etc) to come apart; rip

(tr) to make (a hole or split) in (something) to tear a hole in a dress

(intr often foll by along) to hurry or rush to tear along the street

(tr; usually foll by away or from) to remove or take by force

(when intr, often foll by at) to cause pain, distress, or anguish (to) it tore at my heartstrings to see the starving child

tear one's hair informal to be angry, frustrated, very worried, etc

noun

a hole, cut, or split

the act of tearing

a great hurry; rush

on a tear slang showing a sudden burst of energy

See also tear away, tear down, tear into, tear off, torn

Derived forms of tear

tearable, adjective tearer, noun

Word Origin for tear

Old English teran; related to Old Saxon terian, Gothic gatairan to destroy, Old High German zeran to destroy

Scientific definitions for tear at

tear

[ tîr ]

A drop of the clear salty liquid secreted by glands (lacrimal glands) in the eyes. Tears wet the membrane covering the eye and help rid the eye of irritating substances.

Idioms and Phrases with tear at (1 of 2)

tear at

Pull at or attack violently, as in Jane eagerly tore at the wrapping paper, or The dog tore at the meat. [Mid-1800s]

Distress, as in Their plight tore at his heart.

Idioms and Phrases with tear at (2 of 2)

tear

In addition to the idioms beginning with tear

tear apart
tear around
tear at
tear away
tear down
tear into
tear it
tear off
tear one's hair

also see:

rip (tear) into
wear and tear

Also see undertearstorn.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

tear

verb (used with object), tore or (Archaic) tare, torn or (Archaic) tare, tear·ing.

verb (used without object), tore or (Archaic) tare, torn or (Archaic) tare, tear·ing.