Definition

1. Noun:

   • A drop of clear salty liquid from the eye: A tear is the fluid produced by the lacrimal glands, often associated with crying or strong emotion.
   • A hole or split caused by pulling apart: A tear is a rip or opening in a material like paper, cloth, or fabric.

2. Verb:

   • To pull apart or into pieces by force: To tear something is to rip it, causing it to separate, often along a line of weakness.
   • To move very quickly and forcefully: To tear somewhere is to move with great speed and energy, often in an uncontrolled or hurried way.
   • To fill with or shed tears: (Of the eyes) to produce tears.

Usage and Examples

• Noun (Liquid from eye): A single tear rolled down her cheek. The sad movie brought tears to my eyes.

• Noun (Hole or split): There is a large tear in the curtain. He noticed a small tear in the page of the book.

• Verb (To pull apart): Please do not tear the important document. She accidentally tore her dress on a nail.

• Verb (To move quickly): The children tore out of the school when the bell rang. A truck tore down the road at high speed.

• Verb (To produce tears): The cold wind made my eyes tear. Her eyes began to tear up as she listened to the story.

Advanced Usage

• "to tear oneself away (from)": To leave a place or stop an activity with great reluctance. The book was so good I could hardly tear myself away from it.

• "to tear into": To criticize someone or something very harshly; or to start doing something with great energy. The critic tore into the new film. He was hungry and tore into his meal.

• "to tear apart": To destroy something by tearing it into pieces; to cause severe emotional distress; to criticize severely. The dog tore apart the pillow. The scandal tore the family apart.

Variants and Related Words

• Tearful (adj): Crying or inclined to cry; causing tears. She gave a tearful farewell.

• Tearaway (n, chiefly British): A person who behaves in a wild or reckless way. He was a bit of a tearaway in his youth.

• Tear gas (n): A gas that causes severe irritation to the eyes, used in riot control. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Synonyms

• Noun (Liquid): Teardrop.
• Noun (Hole): Rip, split, rent, gash.
• Verb (Pull apart): Rip, shred, rend, split.
• Verb (Move quickly): Dash, race, sprint, bolt, zoom.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Tear at: To pull violently at something; to cause emotional distress. The dog tore at the rope. Her grief tore at his heart.

• Tear down: To destroy or demolish a structure; to criticize someone severely. They plan to tear down the old factory. He's always trying to tear people down.

• Tear off: To remove something by tearing it; to leave very quickly. He tore off the price tag. She tore off to answer the phone.

• Tear out: To remove something by pulling it violently. He tore out the page from the notebook.

• Tear up: To rip something into many small pieces; to have one's eyes fill with tears. She tore up the letter angrily. He teared up during the speech.

Related Idioms

• Wear and tear: The damage that happens to an object in ordinary use over a period of time. The sofa shows signs of normal wear and tear.

• Tear one's hair out: To be extremely worried, anxious, or frustrated. I've been tearing my hair out trying to fix this computer problem.

• On a tear: Behaving or performing in an intense, energetic, and often successful way for a period of time. The team has been on a tear, winning their last ten games.

Noun

1. the act of tearing
   • he took the manuscript in both hands and gave it a mighty tear
2. an occasion for excessive eating or drinking
   • they went on a bust that lasted three days
3. an opening made forcibly as by pulling apart
   • there was a rip in his pants
   • she had snags in her stockings
4. a drop of the clear salty saline solution secreted by the lacrimal glands
   • his story brought tears to her eyes

Verb

1. fill with tears or shed tears
   • Her eyes were tearing
2. strip of feathers
   • pull a chicken
   • pluck the capon
3. move quickly and violently
   • The car tore down the street
   • He came charging into my office
4. to separate or be separated by force
   • planks were in danger of being torn from the crossbars
5. separate or cause to separate abruptly
   • The rope snapped
   • tear the paper