tear

1
[ teer ]
See synonyms for: teartaretearingtears on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a drop of the saline, watery fluid continually secreted by the lacrimal glands between the surface of the eye and the eyelid, serving to moisten and lubricate these parts and keep them clear of foreign particles.

  2. this fluid appearing in or flowing from the eye as the result of emotion, especially grief: to shed tears.

  1. something resembling or suggesting a tear, as a drop of a liquid or a tearlike mass of a solid substance, especially having a spherical or globular shape at one end and tapering to a point at the other: little tears of morning dew.

  2. Glassmaking. a decorative air bubble enclosed in a glass vessel; air bell.

  3. tears, grief; sorrow.

verb (used without object)
  1. to fill up and overflow with tears, as the eyes (often followed by up): My eyes were tearing in the wind. He teared up when he heard the news.

Idioms about tear

  1. in tears, weeping: He was in tears over the death of his dog.

Origin of tear

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English noun ter(e), Old English tēar, tēor, tehher, taeher; cognate with Old High German zahar, Old Norse tār, Gothic tagr, Greek dákry, Latin lacrima; verb derivative of the noun; see also lachrymal

Other words for tear

Words Nearby tear

Other definitions for tear (2 of 2)

tear2
[ tair ]

verb (used with object),tore or (Archaic) tare,torn or (Archaic) tare,tear·ing.
  1. to pull apart or in pieces by force, especially so as to leave ragged or irregular edges.

  2. to pull or snatch violently; wrench away with force: to tear wrappings from a package; to tear a book from someone's hands.

  1. to distress greatly: anguish that tears the heart.

  2. to divide or disrupt: a country torn by civil war.

  3. to wound or injure by or as if by rending; lacerate.

  4. to produce or effect by rending: to tear a hole in one's coat.

  5. to remove by force or effort: to be unable to tear oneself from a place.

verb (used without object),tore or (Archaic) tare,torn or (Archaic) tare,tear·ing.
  1. to become torn.

  2. to make a tear or rent.

  1. to move or behave with force, violent haste, or energy: The wind tore through the trees; cars tearing up and down the highway; I was tearing around all afternoon trying to find sandals for the beach.

noun
  1. the act of tearing.

  2. a rent or fissure.

  1. a rage or passion; violent flurry or outburst.

  2. Informal. a spree.

Verb Phrases
  1. tear at,

    • to pluck violently at; attempt to tear: She tore at the bandages until they loosened.

    • to distress; afflict: remorse that tears at one's soul.

  2. tear down,

    • to pull down; destroy; demolish.

    • to disparage or discredit: to tear down one's friends behind their backs.

  1. tear into, Informal.

    • to attack impulsively and heedlessly: He tore into the food with a will.

    • to attack verbally: She tore into him for being late for dinner.

  2. tear off, Slang. to perform or do, especially rapidly or casually: to tear off a poem; to tear off a set of tennis.

  3. tear up,

    • to tear into small shreds: He tore up the drawings because she had criticized them.

    • to cancel or annul: to tear up a contract.

Origin of tear

2
First recorded before 900; Middle English verb teren, ter(e), tern, Old English teran “to tear, rend, bite, lacerate,” cognate with Dutch teren, Old High German zeran “to destroy,” German zehren “to consume,” Gothic ga-tairan “to tear, destroy,” Greek dérein “to flay, skin”

synonym study For tear

1. Tear, rend, rip mean to pull apart. To tear is to split the fibers of something by pulling apart, usually so as to leave ragged or irregular edges: to tear open a letter. Rend implies force or violence in tearing apart or in pieces: to rend one's clothes in grief. Rip implies vigorous tearing asunder, especially along a seam or line: to rip the sleeves out of a coat.

Other words for tear

Opposites for tear

Other words from tear

  • tear·a·ble, adjective
  • tear·a·ble·ness, noun
  • tearer, noun
  • un·tear·a·ble, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tear in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tear (1 of 2)

tear1

/ (tɪə) /


noun
  1. a drop of the secretion of the lacrimal glands: See tears

  2. something shaped like a hanging drop: a tear of amber

Origin of tear

1
Old English tēar, related to Old Frisian, Old Norse tār, Old High German zahar, Greek dakri
  • Also called (esp Brit): teardrop

Derived forms of tear

  • tearless, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for tear (2 of 2)

tear2

/ (tɛə) /


verbtears, tearing, tore or torn
  1. to cause (material, paper, etc) to come apart or (of material, etc) to come apart; rip

  2. (tr) to make (a hole or split) in (something): to tear a hole in a dress

  1. (intr often foll by along) to hurry or rush: to tear along the street

  2. (tr; usually foll by away or from) to remove or take by force

  3. (when intr, often foll by at) to cause pain, distress, or anguish (to): it tore at my heartstrings to see the starving child

  4. tear one's hair informal to be angry, frustrated, very worried, etc

noun
  1. a hole, cut, or split

  2. the act of tearing

  1. a great hurry; rush

  2. on a tear slang showing a sudden burst of energy

Origin of tear

2
Old English teran; related to Old Saxon terian, Gothic gatairan to destroy, Old High German zeran to destroy

Derived forms of tear

  • tearable, adjective
  • tearer, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for tear

tear

[ tîr ]


  1. A drop of the clear salty liquid secreted by glands (lacrimal glands) in the eyes. Tears wet the membrane covering the eye and help rid the eye of irritating substances.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Other Idioms and Phrases with tear

tear

In addition to the idioms beginning with tear

  • tear apart
  • tear around
  • tear at
  • tear away
  • tear down
  • tear into
  • tear it
  • tear off
  • tear one's hair

also see:

  • rip (tear) into
  • wear and tear

Also see undertearstorn.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.