tear
Forms
- present (v1)
- tear
- past (v2)
- tore
- past participle (v3)
- torn
- present participle
- tearing
- 3rd person singular
- tears
- Plural
- tears
Definitions
1.To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate.
- He tore his coat on the nail.
2.To injure as if by pulling apart.
- He tore some muscles in a weight-lifting accident.
3.To destroy or reduce abstract unity or coherence, such as social, political or emotional.
- He was torn by conflicting emotions.
4.To make (an opening) with force or energy.
- The artillery tore a gap in the line.
- His boss will tear him a new one when he finds out.
- A piece of debris tore a tiny straight channel through the satellite.
1.A rampage.(slang)
2.A drop of clear, salty liquid produced from the eyes by crying or irritation.
- Ryan wiped the tear from the paper he was crying on.
- Big tears streamed from Lisa's eyes, rolling down her cheeks.
3.A hole or break caused by tearing.
- A small tear is easy to mend, if it is on the seam.
4.Something in the form of a transparent drop of fluid matter; also, a solid, transparent, tear-shaped drop, as of some balsams or resins.
- Let Araby extol her happy coast, / Her fragrant flowers, her trees with precious tears.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #2059
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Uncommon
Etymology
From Middle English teren, from Old English teran (“to tear, lacerate”), from Proto-Germanic *teraną (“to tear, tear apart, rip”), from Proto-Indo-European *der- (“to tear, tear apart”).