In various spec. uses. To rend or tear (cloth, paper). (See also broken, adj.)

transitive. Chiefly Scottish. To tear up (a letter or similar document) so as to cancel or annul it. Obsolete.

transitive. To tear the clothes of, to make very ragged.

transitive. To tear, rend (literal and figurative); (now esp.) to tear so as to leave ragged edges, to make ragged. Now rare.

To cut or tear (textile stuff) into shreds or narrow strips; to reduce to shreds; also, to tear (paper, etc.) into shreds; spec. to reduce…

transitive. To tear (paper, card, etc.) to pieces. Frequently figurative with symbolic meaning.