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?
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
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
tear away
Remove oneself unwillingly or reluctantly, as in I couldn't tear myself away from that painting. [Late 1700s]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.