rip

¹ American  

[rip] / rɪp /

verb (used with object)

ripped, ripping

1. to cut or tear apart in a rough or vigorous manner.

   to rip open a seam; to rip up a sheet.

2. to cut or tear away in a rough or vigorous manner.

   to rip bark from a tree.

3. to saw (wood) in the direction of the grain.

4. Digital Technology. to copy (audio or video files from a CD, DVD, or website) to a hard drive or mobile device, typically by extracting the raw data and changing the file format in the process.

   Can you rip this CD for me?

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verb (used without object)

ripped, ripping

1. to become torn apart or split open.

   Cheap cloth rips easily.

2. Informal. to move with violence or great speed.

   The sports car ripped along in a cloud of dust and exhaust fumes.

noun

1. a rent made by ripping; tear.

   Synonyms:

   cut, laceration

2. Slang. a cheat, swindle, or theft; ripoff.

   The average consumer doesn't realize that the new tax is a rip.

verb phrase

1. rip out to utter angrily, as with an oath or exclamation.

2. rip off

   1. to steal or pilfer.

   2. to rob or steal from.

   3. to swindle, cheat, or exploit; take advantage of.

      phony charity appeals that rip off a gullible public.

3. rip into to attack physically or verbally; assail.

idioms

1. let rip,

   1. to utter a series of oaths; swear.

   2. to speak or write violently, rapidly, or at great length.

   3. to allow to proceed at full speed or without restraint.

rip ² American  

[rip] / rɪp /

noun

1. a stretch of turbulent water at sea or in a river.

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rip ³ American  

[rip] / rɪp /

noun

Informal.

1. a dissolute or worthless person.

2. a worthless or worn-out horse.

3. something of little or no value.

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Rip ⁴ American  

[rip] / rɪp /

noun

1. a male given name, form of Robert.

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RIP ⁵ American  

[ahr-ahy-pee, rip] / ˈɑrˈaɪˈpi, rɪp /

Or R.I.P.

abbreviation

1. rest in peace:

   1. (used, especially on grave markers and memorials, to wish peace after death upon a deceased person).

   2. Often Facetious. (used to indicate that a person or thing has been destroyed or damaged).

      RIP to my dignity after that awful spin class.

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rip ¹ British  

/ rɪp /

noun

1. something or someone of little or no value

2. an old worn-out horse

3. a dissolute character; reprobate

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ˈrip ² British  

/ rɪp /

verb

1. to tear or be torn violently or roughly; split or be rent

2. (tr; foll by off or out) to remove hastily, carelessly, or roughly

   they ripped out all the old kitchen units

3. informal (intr) to move violently or precipitously; rush headlong

4. informal to pour violent abuse (on); make a verbal attack (on)

5. (tr) to saw or split (wood) in the direction of the grain

6. informal (tr) computing to copy (music or software) without permission or making any payment

7. to act or speak without restraint

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noun

1. the place where something is torn; a tear or split

2. short for ripsaw

rip ³ British  

/ rɪp /

noun

1. short for riptide

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RIP ⁴ British  

abbreviation

1. requiescat or requiescant in pace

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rip Scientific  

/ rĭp /

1. A stretch of water in a river, estuary, or tidal channel made rough by waves meeting an opposing current.

2. A rip current.

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R.I.P. Cultural  

1. The abbreviation for “rest in peace,” often found on gravestones or in obituaries. From the Latin, requiescat in pace.

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rip More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing rip

• let it rip

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Related Words

See tear ².

Other Word Forms

• rippable adjective
• unrippable adjective

Etymology

Origin of rip¹

First recorded in 1400–50; 1960–65 rip ¹ for def. 10; Middle English rippen “to tear out (seams, sutures), rip, rip off”; further origin uncertain; obscurely akin to Frisian rippe, Middle Dutch rippen, reppen; compare dialectal English ripple “to scratch”

Origin of rip²

First recorded in 1765–75; rip ¹, ripple ¹

Origin of rip³

First recorded in 1770–80; of uncertain origin; possibly alteration of rep, shortened form of reprobate

Origin of RIP⁵

From Latin requiēscat (or requiēscant ) in pāce

Example Sentences

For the first time since taking charge in 2024, he let rip.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

In these situations, I am left with no other option than to rip apart the structure of an essay to tell a new story that the A.I. doesn’t own.

From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026

“We needed to rip it up and start again,” Straus said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026

And when it does, you won’t have to rip out matching avocado green appliances.

From Barron's • Mar. 14, 2026

Close enough to rip Natalie’s roof off while she and her mother huddled in the bathroom.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

Related Words

• burst
• hack
• score
• shred
• slit
• split