tear-off

[ tair-awf, -of ]

adjective

1. designed to be easily removed by tearing, usually along a perforated line:

   a sales letter with a tear-off order blank.

tear off

/ tɛə /

verb

1. tr to separate by tearing
2. intr, adverb to rush away; hurry
3. tr, adverb to produce in a hurry; do quickly and carelessly

   to tear off a letter

4. tear someone off a strip informal.
   tear someone off a strip to reprimand or rebuke someone forcibly

adjective

1. (of paper, etc) produced in a roll or block and marked with perforations so that one section at a time can be torn off

Word History and Origins

Origin of tear-off¹

First recorded in 1885–90; adj., noun use of verb phrase tear off

Example Sentences

The German motto to-day on the tear-off calendar is: "What is to be clarified must first ferment."

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• disassemble
• disengage
• disentangle
• dissociate
• isolate
• segregate
• separate
• sever