tear
To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate.
Verb 4 meanings
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.”
To injure as if by pulling apart.
“He tore some muscles in a weight-lifting accident.”
To destroy or reduce abstract unity or coherence, such as social, political or emotional.
“He was torn by conflicting emotions.”
To make (an opening) with force or energy.
“A piece of debris tore a tiny straight channel through the satellite.”
Noun 4 meanings
A hole or break caused by tearing.
“A small tear is easy to mend, if it is on the seam.”
A drop of clear, salty liquid produced from the eyes by crying or irritation.
“Big tears streamed from Lisa's eyes, rolling down her cheeks.”
Something in the form of a transparent drop of fluid matter; also, a solid, transparent, tear-shaped drop, as of some balsams or resins.
A partially vitrified bit of clay in glass.
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”).
Similar and opposite words
TEAR at a glance
TEAR has 4 letters and scores 4 points in Scrabble (T 1 + E 1 + A 1 + R 1) and 4 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #3,908 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with tear
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