tear-off
adjective
designed to be easily removed by tearing, usually along a perforated line.
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tear-off
American
[tair-awf, -of]
/ ˈtɛərˌɔf, -ˌɒf /
adjective
tear off
British
/ tɛə /
verb
-
(tr) to separate by tearing
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(intr, adverb) to rush away; hurry
-
(tr, adverb) to produce in a hurry; do quickly and carelessly
to tear off a letter
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informal to reprimand or rebuke someone forcibly
adjective
tear off
Idioms
-
Produce hurriedly and casually, as in He tore off a poem a day for an entire month .
-
Leave in a hurry, as in She tore off to the store because it was about to close . [c. 1900]
Etymology
Origin of tear-off
First recorded in 1885–90; adj., noun use of verb phrase tear off
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
For example, one poster said “If you are mad, think of positive thoughts”, and had tear-off strips reminding people to “Be happy”.
From NewsForKids.net ● Mar. 22, 2022
The Martha Manual daily tear-off calendar features Martha Stewart’s organizing, cleaning, decorating and cooking tips, like how to soften butter, use leftover egg whites or paint a wall.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 22, 2021
The Corn Bowl recipe first appeared in the 1960s as a recipe tear-off sheet in retail grocery stores.
From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2021
Pills come in a simple chronological roll of tear-off packets, with the earliest packets on the outside of the roll; there’s basically no way to load that roll into the dispenser incorrectly.
From Slate ● Jun. 29, 2018
The registrar gives us our papers and a card with a grid of tear-off numbers.
From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper
The first thing the 1,000 men and women of the United States Naval Academy do, after hearing the artillery fire, is scream, tear off their shirts, and charge toward me.
From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026
Someone instructs you to tear off pieces and dip them in the accompanying guava and plantain chutneys, silky chickpea curry and punchy pepper jelly, pooled around a peninsula of tangy cultured butter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
Cinque Sweeting, among the XFL’s top kick returners last season, said there’s ample opportunity to tear off a big return for players who can run around or through the first line of defense.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2024
If you tear off a piece of the picture, a part of the content is lost.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 18, 2024
Many victims tear off clothing, fling away their gloves, or crawl out of their sleeping bags.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
