tear

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.