tear
1 of 4verb (1)
ˈter 
tore ˈtȯr ; torn ˈtȯrn ; tearing
; torn ˈtȯrn ; tearing transitive verb
1
a
: to separate parts of or pull apart by force : rend
b
: to wound by or as if by pulling apart by force : lacerate
tear the skin
2
: to divide or disrupt by the pull of contrary forces
a mind torn with doubts
3
a
: to remove by force : wrench —often used with off
tear a cover off a box
b
: to remove as if by wrenching
tear your thoughts away from the scene
4
: to make (a hole or opening) by or as if by pulling apart by force
tear a hole in the wall
intransitive verb
1
: to separate on being pulled : rend
this cloth tears easily
2
a
: to move or act with violence, haste, or force
went tearing down the street
b
: to smash or penetrate something with violent force
the bullet tore through his leg
tearable
ˈter-ə-bəl
adjective tearer noun
tear
2 of 4noun (1)
ˈter
1
a
: damage from being torn (see tear entry 1)
especially : a hole or flaw made by tearing
mending a tear in her skirt
b
: the act of tearing something
2
a
: a hurried and violent rush : a tearing pace
the train went by at a tear
b
: spree
got paid and went on a tear
c
: a run of unusual success
the team was on a tear
tear
3 of 4noun (2)
ˈtir
1
a
: a drop of clear saline fluid secreted by the lacrimal gland and diffused between the eye and eyelids to moisten the parts and facilitate their motion
b
tears plural : a secretion of profuse tears that overflow the eyelids and dampen the face
2
tears plural : an act of weeping or grieving
broke into tears
3
: a transparent drop of fluid or hardened fluid matter (such as resin)
tearless adjective
tear
4 of 4verb (2)
ˈtir
teared; tearing; tears
intransitive verb
: to fill with tears (see tear entry 3) : shed tears
eyes tearing in the November wind
Saul Bellow
Saul Bellow
Synonyms
Verb (1)
- rend
- ribbon
- rip
- rive
- shred
- tatter
Noun (1)
- gash
- incision
- laceration
- rent
- rip
- slash
- slit
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun (2) And thus he would die—out in the cold world, with no shelter over his homeless head. … And thus SHE would see him when she looked out upon the glad morning, and oh! would she drop one little tear upon his poor, lifeless form, would she heave one little sigh to see a bright young life so rudely blighted, so untimely cut down? Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, 1876
Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, 1876 Word History
Etymology
Verb (1) and Noun (1)
Middle English teren, from Old English teran; akin to Old High German zeran to destroy, Greek derein to skin, Sanskrit dṛṇāti he bursts, tears
Noun (2) and Verb (2)
Middle English, from Old English tæhher, tēar; akin to Old High German zahar tear, Greek dakry
First Known Use
Verb (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun (1)
1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun (2)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb (2)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing tear
Kids Definition
tear 1 of 3
noun
ˈtir
1
: a drop of the salty liquid that moistens the eyes and the inner eyelids and that flows from the eyes when someone is crying
2
tears plural : an act of crying
I burst into tears.
tear
2 of 3verb
ˈter
tore
ˈtȯr
; torn ˈtȯrn
; tearing 1
: to pull into two or more pieces by force
This paper is easy to tear.
2
: to wound or injure by or as if by tearing : lacerate
Use an ointment where you tore the skin.
3
: to remove by force
I tore the notice from the wall.
4
: to move powerfully or swiftly
A car tore up the street.
tear
3 of 3noun
ˈter
: damage from being torn
This blanket has a tear in it.
Medical Definition
tear 1 of 4
noun
ˈti(ə)r
1
a
: a drop of clear saline fluid secreted by the lacrimal gland and diffused between the eye and eyelids to moisten the parts and facilitate their motion
b
tears plural : a secretion of profuse tears that overflow the eyelids and dampen the face
2
: a transparent drop of fluid or hardened fluid matter (as resin)
tear
2 of 4intransitive verb
: to fill with tears : shed tears
my eyes sting and tear
tear
3 of 4transitive verb
ˈta(ə)r, ˈte(ə)r
tore ˈtō(ə)r, ˈtȯ(ə)r ; torn ˈtō(ə)rn, ˈtȯ(ə)rn ; tearing
; torn ˈtō(ə)rn, ˈtȯ(ə)rn ; tearing : to wound by or as if by pulling apart by force
tear the skin
tear
4 of 4noun
: a wound made by tearing a bodily part
a muscle tear
tears 1 of 2
noun
as in slits
a long deep cut repaired a tear in the theater curtain just before the start of the show Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- slits
- rips
- scratches
- fractures
- lacerations
- injuries
- wounds
- incisions
- gashes
- scrapes
- rents
- slashes
- abrasions
- cracks
- ruptures
- snags
- scores
tears
2 of 2verb
1
as in rips
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it angrily tore the letter to shreds Synonyms & Similar Words
- rips
- shreds
- tatters
- ribbons
- rends
- rives
- breaks
- splits
- ruptures
- cuts
- gashes
- cleaves
- slashes
- lacerates
- dissects
- butchers
- incises
- hacks
- mangles
- dismembers
2
as in yanks
to separate or remove by forceful pulling tore the book from his hand Synonyms & Similar Words
- rips
- yanks
- grabs
- wrenches
- snatches
- pulls
- wrests
- extracts
- forces
- pries
- seizes
- severs
- jerks
- nips
- snaps (up)
- uproots
- nabs
- prizes
- dissevers
- amputates
- cuts (off)
- lops (off)
- roots (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- reattaches
3
as in rushes
to proceed or move quickly she tore out of the room as soon as the phone started to ring Synonyms & Similar Words
- rushes
- speeds
- races
- flies
- hurries
- scurries
- travels
- zips
- drives
- rips
- chases
- jumps
- blows
- trots
- steps
- runs
- darts
- buzzes
- dashes
- bowls
- scoots
- blasts
- barrels
- breezes
- bolts
- rams
- jogs
- whirls
- scuttles
- blazes
- bundles
- humps
- zooms
- pelts
- shoots
- rustles
- hares
- belts
- jets
- hurtles
- hustles
- rockets
- nips
- hastens
- beats it
- hurls
- hies
- cannonballs
- motors
- bustles
- careers
- courses
- bombs
- highballs
- whisks
- streaks
- cracks (on)
- gallops
- steps on it
- shakes a leg
- careens
- makes tracks
- gets a move on
- scuffles
- beetles
- flits
- scuds
- hotfoots (it)
- scampers
- sprints
- stampedes
- accelerates
- arrows
- whizzes
- steps out
- quickens
- overtakes
- outruns
- outstrips
- catches up
- outpaces
- beelines
- fast-forwards
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- crawls
- drags
- creeps
- pokes
- lags
- lingers
- hangs (around or out)
- pokes
- shuffles
- dawdles
- strolls
- tarries
- slows (down or up)
- loiters
- ambles
- saunters
- plods
- dallies
- decelerates
- lumbers
- dillydallies