tear at

Idioms  

1. Pull at or attack violently, as in Jane eagerly tore at the wrapping paper , or The dog tore at the meat . [Mid-1800s]

2. Distress, as in Their plight tore at his heart .

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Example Sentences

When a working dog’s stomach tightens, as it does when he pulls, the corn becomes like tiny little knives that cut and tear at the insides of his intestines….

From Literature

Indeed, the winger successfully returned eight months after a previous ACL tear at Watford in 2020.

From BBC

But she added: "The crimes that tear at the fabric of communities, like shop theft and shop robbery, continue to rise and we must do more."

From BBC

England's 2014 World Cup-winning captain Katy Daly-McLean said: "I had a tear at the anthems. There's 80,000 people here and the game is delivering."

From BBC

"I actually sat down and shed a tear at the colour of the water," Mr Elves said.

From BBC