tear, rip, rend, split, cleave, rive mean to separate forcibly. tear implies pulling apart by force and leaving jagged edges.
TEAR definition: 1. to pull or be pulled apart, or to pull pieces off: 2. to move very quickly: 3. a hole in a…. Learn more.
- The act of tearing. 2. The result of tearing; a rip or rent: The shirt has a small tear. 3. A great rush; a hurry. 4. Slang A carousal; a spree.
To tear something from somewhere means to remove it roughly and violently. She tore the windscreen wipers from his car. [VERB noun preposition] He tore down the girl's photograph, and crumpled it into a ball. [VERB noun with adverb]
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.
The verb tear often refers to pulling something apart or making a hole — and has a noun form that describes the result of those actions — but it can also describe quick movement.
Tear definition: To make (an opening) in something by pulling it apart or by accident.
tear (third-person singular simple present tears, present participle tearing, simple past tore, past participle torn or (now colloquial and nonstandard) tore) He tore his coat on the nail.