rend

/rend/

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Explanation of the Word "Rend"

Definition:
The verb "rend" means to tear something apart violently or to be torn apart. It can be used literally, like tearing a piece of cloth, or figuratively, like causing deep emotional pain.

Usage Instructions

• "Rend" is often used in a dramatic or intense context.
• It can describe both physical actions (like tearing) and emotional experiences (like a heart being torn by sadness).

Examples

1. Literal Use:

   • "The strong wind caused the flag to rend from the pole." (This means the wind tore the flag away from the pole.)

2. Figurative Use:

   • "The news of his passing rended her heart." (This means the news caused her great emotional pain.)

Advanced Usage

• "Rend" is often used in literature and poetry to create a strong emotional impact.
• It can be used in a legal or formal context when discussing the tearing apart of agreements or relationships.

Word Variants

• Rending (noun/adjective): The act of tearing or the state of being torn.

  • Example: "The rending of the fabric left a large hole."

• Rended (past tense): The past form of "rend."

  • Example: "The storm rended the old tree."

Different Meanings

• While "rend" primarily means to tear, it can also imply a deep emotional disturbance or a state of being torn apart in a metaphorical sense.

Synonyms

• Tear
• Rip
• Split
• Shred
• Sever

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

• Rend one's garments: This is an idiom meaning to show great grief or distress, often by tearing one’s clothes as a sign of mourning.

• Rend apart: A phrasal verb that means to tear something into pieces or to cause deep division.

  • Example: "The disagreement rended the once close friends apart."

Academic

Verb

1. tear or be torn violently
   • The curtain ripped from top to bottom
   • pull the cooked chicken into strips

Synonyms

• rip
• rive
• pull