tear

¹

[teer]

noun

1. a drop of the saline, watery fluid continually secreted by the lacrimal glands between the surface of the eye and the eyelid, serving to moisten and lubricate these parts and keep them clear of foreign particles.

   Synonyms: teardrop

2. this fluid appearing in or flowing from the eye as the result of emotion, especially grief.

   to shed tears.

3. something resembling or suggesting a tear, as a drop of a liquid or a tearlike mass of a solid substance, especially having a spherical or globular shape at one end and tapering to a point at the other.

   little tears of morning dew.

4. Glassmaking.,  a decorative air bubble enclosed in a glass vessel; air bell.

5. tears, grief; sorrow.

verb (used without object)

1. to fill up and overflow with tears, as the eyes (often followed byup ).

   My eyes were tearing in the wind. He teared up when he heard the news.

tear

²

[tair]

verb (used with object)

tore , tare , torn , tare , tearing .

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

   Synonyms: rive, rip, rend
   Antonyms: sew, repair, mend

2. to pull or snatch violently; wrench away with force.

   to tear wrappings from a package; to tear a book from someone's hands.

3. to distress greatly.

   anguish that tears the heart.

   Synonyms: afflict, shatter, crack, break (one's) heart

4. to divide or disrupt.

   a country torn by civil war.

   Synonyms: splinter, split, disunite
   Antonyms: bind, join, reunite, unite

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

   Synonyms: mangle, cut, slash

6. to produce or effect by rending.

   to tear a hole in one's coat.

7. to remove by force or effort.

   to be unable to tear oneself from a place.

verb (used without object)

tore , tare , torn , tare , tearing .

1. to become torn.

2. to make a tear or rent.

3. 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

1. the act of tearing.

2. a rent or fissure.

   Synonyms: split, rift, rip

3. a rage or passion; violent flurry or outburst.

4. Informal.,  a spree.

verb phrase

1. tear off,  to perform or do, especially rapidly or casually.

   to tear off a poem; to tear off a set of tennis.

2. tear into

   1. to attack impulsively and heedlessly.

      He tore into the food with a will.

   2. to attack verbally.

      She tore into him for being late for dinner.

3. tear down

   1. to pull down; destroy; demolish.

   2. to disparage or discredit.

      to tear down one's friends behind their backs.

4. tear at

   1. to pluck violently at; attempt to tear.

      She tore at the bandages until they loosened.

   2. to distress; afflict.

      remorse that tears at one's soul.

5. tear up

   1. to tear into small shreds.

      He tore up the drawings because she had criticized them.

   2. to cancel or annul.

      to tear up a contract.

tear

¹

/ tɪə /

noun

1. a drop of the secretion of the lacrimal glands See tears

2. something shaped like a hanging drop

   a tear of amber

tear

²

/ tɛə /

verb

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

2. (tr) to make (a hole or split) in (something)

   to tear a hole in a dress

3. to hurry or rush

   to tear along the street

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

5. to cause pain, distress, or anguish (to)

   it tore at my heartstrings to see the starving child

6. informal,  to be angry, frustrated, very worried, etc

noun

1. a hole, cut, or split

2. the act of tearing

3. a great hurry; rush

4. slang,  showing a sudden burst of energy

tear

1. 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.

Other Word Forms

• tearable adjective
• tearableness noun
• tearer noun
• untearable adjective
• tearless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tear¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun ter(e), Old English tēar, tēor, tehher, taeher; cognate with Old High German zahar, Old Norse tār, Gothic tagr, Greek dákry, Latin lacrima; verb derivative of the noun; lachrymal

Origin of tear²

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb teren, ter(e), tern, Old English teran “to tear, rend, bite, lacerate,” cognate with Dutch teren, Old High German zeran “to destroy,” German zehren “to consume,” Gothic ga-tairan “to tear, destroy,” Greek dérein “to flay, skin”

Word History and Origins

Origin of tear¹

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

Origin of tear²

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in tears, weeping.

   He was in tears over the death of his dog.

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

3. tear one's hair, to manifest extreme anxiety, grief, anger, or frustration: Also tear one's hair out.

   I'm so upset, I could just tear my hair out.

More idioms and phrases containing tear

• rip (tear) into
• tears
• torn
• wear and tear

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

The 25-year-old Czech player had been four games to one ahead in the final set, and burst into tears.

From BBC

Fans wiped away tears as they watched Ripken circle the field, and the thunderous applause never waned throughout the delay.

From Los Angeles Times

Since the demonstrations began, Indonesian police have used tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets against protesters, some of whom have lobbed back Molotov cocktails and rocks.

From Los Angeles Times

When Winslet allows the dam surrounding Mare’s despair to crack a little, frosting the blank spaces between lines of dialogue with pure aching emotion, tearing your eyes away is impossible.

From Salon

Border Patrol agents with a deadly or dangerous weapon — a canister of their own tear gas.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• break 
• crack 
• damage 
• divide 
• grab 
• injure 
• mangle 
• pull 
• rive 
• rupture 
• separate 
• sever 
• shred 
• slash 
• snatch 
• split 
• wrench 
• yank