tear

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate.
2. (transitive) To injure as if by pulling apart.
3. (transitive) To destroy or reduce abstract unity or coherence, such as social, political or emotional.
4. (transitive) To make (an opening) with force or energy.
5. (often, transitive) To remove by tearing, or with sudden great force.
6. (transitive, with-down) To demolish.
7. (intransitive) To become torn, especially accidentally.
8. (intransitive) To move or act with great speed, energy, or violence.
9. (intransitive) To smash or enter something with great force.
10. (intransitive) To be interrupted midway through.

Noun

1. A hole or break caused by tearing.
2. (slang) A rampage.

Noun

1. A drop of clear, salty liquid produced from the eyes by crying or irritation.
2. Something in the form of a transparent drop of fluid matter; also, a solid, transparent, tear-shaped drop, as of some balsams or resins.
3. A partially vitrified bit of clay in glass.
4. That which causes or accompanies tears; a lament; a dirge.

Synonyms

rip

split

rend

break

teardrop

rent

tears

cut

crack

scratch

burst

be torn

rupture

slit

rush

lacerate

pull

torn

rive

claw

tear up

cry

😢

divide

snap

pluck

laceration

sever

destroy

race

wear

bust

separate

mangle

run

crush

shoot

shred

weep

rip open

hole

🕳️

wear out

dash

💨

tear off

snag

pick

⛏️

drop

wear and tear

break off

cleave

binge

Translations

déchirer

larme

lágrima

zerreißen

Träne

lacrima

rasgar

traan

reißen

romper

lacrima

lágrima

scheuren

pleur

😢

Pronounced as (IPA)

/tɛə/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: teren

Inherited from Old English: teran

Cognate with Scots: tere

Cognate with Dutch: teren

Cognate with German: zehren

Cognate with German: zerren

Cognate with Danish: tære

Cognate with Swedish: tära

Cognate with Icelandic: tæra

Cognate with Ancient Greek: δέρω

Cognate with Albanian: ther

Inherited from Middle English: teer

Inherited from Old English: tēar

Cognate with Old Norse: tár

Cognate with Danish: tåre

Cognate with Norwegian: tåre

Cognate with Old High German: zahar

Cognate with German: Zähre

Cognate with Gothic: 𐍄𐌰𐌲𐍂

Cognate with Irish: deoir

Cognate with Latin: lacrima

In summary

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”).
Cognate with Scots tere, teir, tair (“to rend, lacerate, wound, rip, tear out”), Dutch teren (“to eliminate, efface, live, survive by consumption”), German zehren (“to consume, misuse”), German zerren (“to tug, rip, tear”), Danish tære (“to consume”), Swedish tära (“to fret, consume, deplete, use up”), Icelandic tæra (“to clear, corrode”). Outside Germanic, cognate to Ancient Greek δέρω (dérō, “to skin”), Albanian ther (“to slay, skin, pierce”). Doublet of tire.

Sentences

Kirin steals the Tear of heaven from Avranti and the Gauntlet of Tatsu.