tear

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For the verb: "to tear"

Simple Past: tore
Past Participle: torn

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
tear1 /tɛː/
verb (past tore; past part. torn)
  • 1 pull or rip apart or to pieces.

    ■ make a hole or split in.

    ■ damage (a muscle or ligament) by overstretching it.

    ■ (tear something down) demolish something.

  • 2 (tear something apart) destroy something, especially good relations between people.

    ■ (be torn) be in a state of uncertainty between two conflicting options or parties.

  • 3 (tear oneself away) [usu. with neg.] leave despite a strong desire to stay.
  • 4 informal move very quickly and in an uncontrolled manner.
  • 5 (tear into) attack verbally.
noun a hole or split caused by tearing.
– phrases
tear one's hair out informal feel extreme desperation.
tear someone off a strip (or tear a strip off someone) Brit. informal rebuke someone angrily.
that's torn it Brit. informal expressing dismay when something has happened to disrupt someone's plans.
– derivatives
tearable adjective,
tearer noun.
– origin OE teran, of Gmc origin.



Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
tear2 /tɪə/
noun a drop of clear salty liquid secreted from glands in a person's eye when they are crying or when the eye is irritated.
– phrases
in tears crying.
– derivatives
teary adjective.
– origin OE tēar, of Gmc origin.
'tear' also found in these Oxford entries:

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