tearaway

[ tair-uh-wey ]

/ ˈtɛər əˌweɪ /

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adjective

designed to be easily separated or opened by tearing: a box with a tearaway seal.

noun

British. a wild, reckless person.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”

Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.

Question 1 of 7

Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?

their

there

they're

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Origin of tearaway

First recorded in 1825–35; adj., noun use of verb phrase tear away

Words nearby tearaway

teapoy, tear, tear apart, tear around, tear at, tearaway, tear bomb, teardown, teardrop, tear duct, tearful

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for tearaway

When Lorelai rips off Lane’s tearaway wedding skirt and Zach crows, “My wife’s got legs!”
Every episode of Gilmore Girls, ranked|Constance Grady|October 6, 2020|Vox
The bad luck for McCain is that by now the electorate can see that Obama is anything but a tearaway.
John the Plumber v. Barry the Crooner|Tina Brown|October 16, 2008|DAILY BEAST
I say, Fred, I've backed 'Tearaway,' would you have me hedge off?
Kate Vernon, Vol. 1 (of 3)|Mrs. Alexander
Tearaway was practically an unknown quantity and Picton decided she should not run in public before September.
Fast as the Wind|Nat Gould

He had won many races during the time he had been at Haverton, but vowed no such flier had been in his hands as Tearaway.
Fast as the Wind|Nat Gould
Fred saw this, and giving Tearaway a hint she raced up alongside the Cup horse.
Fast as the Wind|Nat Gould
He knew Tearaway's speed was something abnormal; in his opinion nothing could stand against it.
Fast as the Wind|Nat Gould

British Dictionary definitions for tearaway

tear away

/ (tɛə) /

verb

(tr, adverb) to persuade (oneself or someone else) to leaveI couldn't tear myself away from the television

noun tearaway

British

a reckless impetuous unruly person
(as modifier)a tearaway young man

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

Idioms and Phrases with tearaway