tear

I

[[t]tɪər[/t]]

n.

1) phl a drop of the saline, watery fluid continually secreted by the lacrimal glands between the surface of the eye and the eyelid

2) phl a drop of this fluid appearing in or flowing from the eye as the result of emotion, esp. grief

3) something resembling a tear, as a drop of a liquid or a tearlike mass of a solid substance

4) tears

a) grief; sorrow

b) an act of weeping:

bored to tears[/ex]

5) (of the eyes) to fill up and overflow with tears

•

- in tears

Etymology: bef. 900; (n.) ME teer, OE tēar, tæher II

tear

[[t]tɛər[/t]] v. tore, torn, tear•ing, n.

1) to pull apart or in pieces by force; rend

2) to pull or snatch violently; wrench away with force:

to tear a book from someone's hands[/ex]

3) to divide or disrupt:

a country torn by civil war[/ex]

4) to produce by rending:

to tear a hole in one's coat[/ex]

5) to wound or injure by or as if by rending; lacerate:

grief that tears the heart[/ex]

6) to remove by force or effort (often fol. by away):

It was such an exciting lecture, I couldn't tear myself away[/ex]

7) to become torn:

The fabric tears easily[/ex]

8) cvb to move or behave with force, violent haste, or energy:

The wind tore through the trees; cars tearing up and down the highway[/ex]

9) phv tear at

a) to pluck violently at

b) to distress; afflict

10) phv tear down

a) to pull down; demolish

b) to disparage or discredit

11) phv tear into

to attack impulsively or viciously

12) phv tear up

a) to tear into small shreds

b) to cancel or annul:

to tear up a contract[/ex]

13) the act of tearing

14) a rent or fissure

15) a rage or passionate outburst

16) inf Informal. a spree

•

- tear it

Etymology: bef. 900; ME teren (v.), OE teran, c. OFris tera, OSterian, OHG zeran, Gk dérein to flay tear′er, n.