tear

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• COUNT in NET: 64 in 63 verses (in OT : 51 in 50 verses) (in NT : 13 in 13 verses)

CIDE DICTIONARY

tear, n. [AS. teár; akin to G. zärhe, OHG. zahar, OFries. & Icel. tār, Sw. tår, Dan. taare, Goth. tagr, OIr. dēr, W. dagr, OW. dacr, L. lacrima, lacruma, for older dacruma, Gr. da`kry, da`kryon, da`kryma. √59. Cf. Lachrymose.].

•  A drop of the limpid, saline fluid secreted, normally in small amount, by the lachrymal gland, and diffused between the eye and the eyelids to moisten the parts and facilitate their motion. Ordinarily the secretion passes through the lachrymal duct into the nose, but when it is increased by emotion or other causes, it overflows the lids.  [1913 Webster]

  "And yet for thee ne wept she never a tear."  [1913 Webster]
•  Something in the form of a transparent drop of fluid matter; also, a solid, transparent, tear-shaped drop, as of some balsams or resins.  [1913 Webster]

  "Let Araby extol her happy coast,
  Her fragrant flowers, her trees with precious tears."  [1913 Webster]
•  That which causes or accompanies tears; a lament; a dirge.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]
•  A partially vitrified bit of clay in glass.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

  " Tear is sometimes used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, tear-distilling, tear-drop, tear-filled, tear-stained, and the like."  [1913 Webster]

Tears of St. Lawrence, the Perseid shower of meteors, seen every year on or about the eve of St. Lawrence, August 9th. -- Tears of wine, drops which form and roll down a glass above the surface of strong wine. The phenomenon is due to the evaporation of alcohol from the surface layer, which, becoming more watery, increases in surface tension and creeps up the sides until its weight causes it to break.

tear, v. t. [OE. teren, AS. teran; akin to OS. farterian to destroy, D. teren to consume, G. zerren to pull, to tear, zehren to consume, Icel. tæra, Goth. gataíran to destroy, Lith. dirti to flay, Russ. drate to pull, to tear, Gr. de`rein to flay, Skr. dar to burst. √63. Cf. Darn, Epidermis, Tarre, Tirade.].

•  To separate by violence; to pull apart by force; to rend; to lacerate; as, to tear cloth; to tear a garment; to tear the skin or flesh.  [1913 Webster]

  "Tear him to pieces; he's a conspirator."  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence, to divide by violent measures; to disrupt; to rend; as, a party or government torn by factions.  [1913 Webster]
•  To rend away; to force away; to remove by force; to sunder; as, a child torn from its home.  [1913 Webster]

  "The hand of fate
  Hath torn thee from me."  [1913 Webster]
•  To pull with violence; as, to tear the hair.  [1913 Webster]
•  To move violently; to agitate.  Byron.  [1913 Webster]

To tear a cat, to rant violently; to rave; -- especially applied to theatrical ranting. [Obs.] Shak. -- To tear down, to demolish violently; to pull or pluck down. -- To tear off, to pull off by violence; to strip. -- To tear out, to pull or draw out by violence; as, to tear out the eyes. -- To tear up, to rip up; to remove from a fixed state by violence; as, to tear up a floor; to tear up the foundation of government or order.

tear, v. i. 

•  To divide or separate on being pulled; to be rent; as, this cloth tears easily.  [1913 Webster]
•  To move and act with turbulent violence; to rush with violence; hence, to rage; to rave.  [1913 Webster]

tear, n. 

 The act of tearing, or the state of being torn; a rent; a fissure.  Macaulay.  [1913 Webster]

Wear and tear. See under Wear, n.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

tear, v. & n.
--v. (past tore; past part. torn)
1 tr. (often foll. by up) pull apart or to pieces with some force (tear it in half; tore up the letter).
2 tr. a make a hole or rent in by tearing (have torn my coat). b make (a hole or rent).
3 tr. (foll. by away, off, etc.) pull violently or with some force (tore the book away from me; tore off the cover; tore a page out; tore down the notice).
4 tr. violently disrupt or divide (the country was torn by civil war; torn by conflicting emotions).
5 intr. colloq. go or travel hurriedly or impetuously (tore across the road).
6 intr. undergo tearing (the curtain tore down the middle).
7 intr. (foll. by at etc.) pull violently or with some force.
--n.
1 a hole or other damage caused by tearing.
2 a torn part of cloth etc.

Idiom

be torn between have difficulty in choosing between. tear apart
1 search (a place) exhaustively.
2 criticize forcefully. tear one's hair out behave with extreme desperation or anger.
tear into
1 attack verbally; reprimand.
2 make a vigorous start on (an activity). tear oneself away leave despite a strong desire to stay. tear sheet a page that can be removed from a newspaper or magazine etc. for use separately. tear to shreds colloq. refute or criticize thoroughly. that's torn it Brit. colloq. that has spoiled things, caused a problem, etc.

Derivative

tearable adj. tearer n.

tear, n.
1 a drop of clear salty liquid secreted by glands, that serves to moisten and wash the eye and is shed from it in grief or other strong emotions.
2 a tearlike thing; a drop.

Idiom

in tears crying; shedding tears. tear-drop a single tear. tear-duct a drain for carrying tears to the eye or from the eye to the nose. tear-gas gas that disables by causing severe irritation to the eyes. tear-jerker colloq. a story, film, etc., calculated to evoke sadness or sympathy. without tears presented so as to be learned or done easily.

Derivative

tearlike adj.

Etymology

OE tear

THESAURUS

tear

abrade, abrasion, amputate, assault, attack, autacoid, ax, bacchanal, bacchanalia, bacchanalian, ball the jack, barbarize, bark, barrel, bat, batter, bawling, bender, bile, binge, bisect, blemish, bloody, blubbering, boil, bolt, boom, booze, bout, bowl along, breach, break, breakage, breeze, breeze along, broach, brush, brutalize, bundle, burn, burst, bust, bustle, butcher, buzz about, career, carousal, carouse, carry on, carve, celebration, chafe, chalone, charge, chase, check, chink, chip, chop, chyle, claw, cleave, cleft, clip, colostrum, compotation, concussion, crack, crackle, craze, crevasse, crowd, cry, crying, cut, cut along, cut away, cut in two, cut off, cut open, damage, dart, dash, dash off, dash on, debauch, destroy, devil, dichotomize, digestive secretion, discharge, dispart, dissever, divaricate, divide, double-time, drinking bout, drunk, drunken carousal, endocrine, escapade, evulse, excise, excrete, festinate, fissure, fit of crying, flash burn, fleet, fling, flit, flood of tears, flutter, fly, fly low, fly open, fracture, fray, frazzle, fret, fuss, gall, gallop, gap, gash, gastric juice, get going, get moving, give out, gleet, go fast, go on, good cry, gore, greet, guzzle, hack, halve, hammer, haste, hasten, hew, hie, highball, hole, hormone, humor, hump, hump it, hurry, hurry about, hurry on, hurry through, hurry up, hurry-scurry, hurt, hurtle, hustle, ichor, impair, incise, incision, injure, injury, intestinal juice, jag, jigsaw, lacerate, laceration, lachryma, lachrymosity, lacrimatory, lactate, lactation, lance, lark, lash, lay open, lay waste, leap, lesion, leukorrhea, loot, lose no time, lymph, maim, make a fuss, make haste, make knots, make mincemeat of, mangle, matter, maul, melting mood, milk, mortal wound, move quickly, mucor, mucus, mug, mutilate, mutilation, nip, np, ope, open, open up, orgy, outstrip the wind, overflowing eyes, pancreatic juice, pare, part, peccant humor, phlegm, pierce, pillage, ploy, plunge, post, potation, pour it on, press on, produce, prostatic fluid, prune, pub-crawl, pull, pull apart, puncture, purulence, pus, push on, race, rage, ramp, rampage, randan, randy, rant, rape, rave, rend, rent, revel, rheum, ribbon, rift, riot, rip, rive, roar, ruin, run, rupture, rush, rush about, rush around, rush through, sack, saliva, salivary secretion, sanies, savage, saw, scald, scale, scamper, scissor, scoot, scorch, score, scotch, scour, scramble, scrape, scratch, scud, scuff, scurry, scuttle, secern, second-degree burn, secrete, semen, separate, serous fluid, serum, sever, shoot, shred, sizzle, skedaddle, skim, skin, slash, slaughter, slice, slit, snatch, snip, sniveling, snot, sobbing, sore, sow chaos, speed, sperm, splinter, split, sprain, spread, spread out, spree, spring open, sprint, spurt, stab, stab wound, step on it, stick, storm, storm along, strain, sunder, suppuration, sweat, sweep, swing open, symposium, tap, tear along, tear around, tear bottle, tear open, teardrop, tearful eyes, tearfulness, tears, terrorize, the whites, third-degree burn, throw open, thunder along, thyroxin, toot, trauma, traumatize, urine, vandalize, violate, wassail, water, weep, weepiness, weeping, whimpering, whisk, whittle, whiz, whiz about, wingding, wound, wounds immedicable, wreck, wrench, yank, zing, zip, zoom

ROGET THESAURUS

tear

Disjunction

VB be disjoined, come off, fall off, come to pieces, fall to pieces, peel off, get loose, disjoin, disconnect, disengage, disunite, dissociate, dispair, divorce, part, dispart, detach, separate, cut off, rescind, segregate, set apart, keep apart, insulate, isolate, throw out of gear, cut adrift, loose, unloose, undo, unbind, unchain, unlock, unpack, unravel, disentangle, set free, sunder, divide, subdivide, sever, dissever, abscind, circumcise, cut, incide, incise, saw, snip, nib, nip, cleave, rive, rend, slit, split, splinter, chip, crack, snap, break, tear, burst, rend, rend asunder, rend in twain, wrench, rupture, shatter, shiver, cranch, crunch, craunch, chop, cut up, rip up, hack, hew, slash, whittle, haggle, hackle, discind, lacerate, scamble, mangle, gash, hash, slice, cut up, carve, dissect, anatomize, dislimb, take to pieces, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, tear to pieces, tear to tatters, tear piecemeal, tear limb from limb, divellicate, skin, disintegrate, dismember, disbranch, disband, disperse, dislocate, disjoint, break up, mince, comminute, apportion, part, part company, separate, leave.

Excitability

VB be impatient, not be able to bear, bear ill, wince, chafe, champ a bit, be in a stew, be out of all patience, fidget, fuss, not have a wink of sleep, toss on one's pillow, lose one's temper, break out, burst out, fly out, go off, fly off, fly off at a tangent, fly off the handle, lose one's cool, explode, flare up, flame up, fire up, burst into a flame, take fire, fire, burn, boil, boil over, foam, fume, rage, rave, rant, tear, go wild, run wild, run mad, go into hysterics, run riot, run amuck, battre la campagne, faire le diable a quatre, play the deuce.

Violence

VB be violent, run high, ferment, effervesce, romp, rampage, go on a rampage, run wild, run amuck, run riot, break the peace, rush, tear, rush headlong, rush foremost, raise a storm, make a riot, rough house, riot, storm, wreak, bear down, ride roughshod, out Herod, Herod, spread like wildfire (person), explode, make a row, kick up a row, boil, boil over, fume, foam, come on like a lion, bluster, rage, roar, fly off the handle, go bananas, go ape, blow one's top, blow one's cool, flip one's lid, hit the ceiling, hit the roof, fly into a rage (anger), break out, fly out, burst out, bounce, explode, go off, displode, fly, detonate, thunder, blow up, crump, flash, flare, burst, shock, strain, break open, force open, prize open, render violent, sharpen, stir up, quicken, excite, incite, annoy, urge, lash, stimulate, turn on, irritate, inflame, kindle, suscitate, foment, accelerate, aggravate, exasperate, exacerbate, convulse, infuriate, madden, lash into fury, fan the flame, add fuel to the flame, pour oil on the fire, oleum addere camino, explode, let fly, fly off, discharge, detonate, set off, detonize, fulminate.

Lamentation

N lament, lamentation, wail, complaint, plaint, murmur, mutter, grumble, groan, moan, whine, whimper, sob, sigh, suspiration, heaving, deep sigh, cry, scream, howl, outcry, wail of woe, ululation, frown, scowl, tear, weeping, flood of tears, fit of crying, lacrimation, lachrymation, melting mood, weeping and gnashing of teeth, plaintiveness, languishment, condolence, mourning, weeds, willow, cypress, crape, deep mourning, sackcloth and ashes, lachrymatory, knell, deep death song, dirge, coronach, nenia, requiem, elegy, epicedium, threne, monody, threnody, jeremiad, jeremiade, ullalulla, mourner, grumbler, Noobe, Heraclitus, lamenting, in mourning, in sackcloth and ashes, sorrowing, sorrowful, mournful, tearful, lachrymose, plaintive, plaintful, querulous, querimonious, in the melting mood, threnetic, in tears, with tears in one's eyes, with moistened eyes, with watery eyes, bathed in tears, dissolved in tears, like Niobe all tears, elegiac, epicedial, de profundis, les larmes aux yeux, Int, heigh-ho!, alas!, alack!, O dear!, ah me!, woe is me!, lackadaisy!, well a day!, lack a day!, alack a day!, wellaway!, alas the day!, O tempora O mores!, what a pity!, miserabile dictu!, O lud lud!, too true!, tears standing in the eyes, tears starting from the eyes, eyes suffused, eyes swimming, eyes brimming, eyes overflowing with tears, if you have tears prepare to shed them now, interdum lacrymae pondera vocis habent, strangled his language in his tears, tears such as angels weep.

Amusement

N amusement, entertainment, recreation, fun, game, fun and games, diversion, divertissement, reaction, solace, pastime, passetemps, sport, labor of love, pleasure, relaxation, leisure, fun, frolic, merriment, jollity, joviality, jovialness, heyday, laughter, jocosity, jocoseness, drollery, buffoonery, tomfoolery, mummery, pleasantry, wit, quip, quirk, giggle, titter, snigger, snicker, crow, cheer, chuckle, shout, horse laugh, belly laugh, hearty laugh, guffaw, burst of laughter, fit of laughter, shout of laughter, roar of laughter, peal of laughter, cachinnation, Kentish fire, tiger, play, game, game at romps, gambol, romp, prank, antic, rig, lark, spree, skylarking, vagary, monkey trick, gambade, fredaine, escapade, echappee, bout, espieglerie, practical joke, dance, hop, reel, rigadoon, saraband, hornpipe, bolero, ballroom dance, minuet, waltz, polka, fox trot, tango, samba, rhumba, twist, stroll, hustle, cha-cha, fandango, cancan, bayadere, breakdown, cake-walk, cornwallis, break dancing, nautch-girl, shindig, skirtdance, stag dance, Virginia reel, square dance, galop, galopade, jig, Irish jig, fling, strathspey, allemande, gavot, gavotte, tarantella, mazurka, morisco, morris dance, quadrille, country dance, folk dance, cotillon, Sir Roger de Coverley, ballet, ball, bal, bal masque, bal costume, masquerade, Terpsichore, festivity, merrymaking, party, blowout, hullabaloo, hoedown, bat, bum, bust, clambake, donation party, fish fry, jamboree, kantikoy, nautch, randy, squantum, tear, Turnerfest, yule log, fete, festival, gala, ridotto, revels, revelry, reveling, carnival, brawl, saturnalia, high jinks, feast, banquet, regale, symposium, wassail, carouse, carousal, jollification, junket, wake, Irish wake, picnic, fete champetre, regatta, field day, treat, round of pleasures, dissipation, a short life and a merry one, racketing, holiday making, rejoicing, jubilee, bonfire, fireworks, feu-de-joie, firecracker, holiday, gala day, red letter day, play day, high days and holidays, high holiday, Bank holiday, May day, Derby day, Saint Monday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Bairam, wayz-goos, bean feast, Arbor Day, Declaration Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving Day, Mardi gras, mi-careme, feria, fiesta, place of amusement, theater, hall, concert room, ballroom, assemblyroom, music hall, park, plaisance, national park, national forest, state park, county park, city park, vest-pocket park, public park (public), arbor, garden, pleasure ground, playground, cricketground, croquet ground, archery ground, hunting ground, tennis court, racket court, bowling alley, green alley, croquet lawn, rink, glaciarum, skating rink, roundabout, merry-go-round, swing, montagne Russe, game of chance, game of skill, athletic sports, gymnastics, archery, rifle shooting, tournament, pugilism, sports, horse racing, the turf, aquatics, skating, sliding, cricket, tennis, lawn tennis, hockey, football, baseball, soccer, ice hockey, basketball, rackets, fives, trap bat and ball, battledore and shuttlecock, la grace, pall- mall, tipcat, croquet, golf, curling, pallone, polo, water polo, tent pegging, tilting at the ring, quintain, greasy pole, quoits, horseshoes, discus, rounders, lacrosse, tobogganing, water polo, knurr and spell, leapfrog, hop skip and jump, mother may I, French and English, tug of war, blindman's bluff, hunt the slopper, hide and seek, kiss in the ring, snapdragon, cross questions and crooked answers, crisscross, hopscotch, jacks, jackstones, marbles, mumblety-peg, mumble-the-peg, pushball, shinney, shinny, tag, billiards, pool, pingpong, pyramids, bagatelle, bowls, skittles, ninepins, kain, American bowls, tenpins, tivoli, cards, card games, whist, rubber, round game, loo, cribbage, besique, euchre, drole, ecarte, picquet, allfours, quadrille, omber, reverse, Pope Joan, commit, boston, boaston, blackjack, twenty- one, vingtun, quinze, thirty-one, put, speculation, connections, brag, cassino, lottery, commerce, snip-snap-snoren, lift smoke, blind hookey, Polish bank, Earl of Coventry, Napoleon, patience, pairs, banker, blind poker, draw poker, straight poker, stud poker, bluff, bridge, bridge whist, lotto, monte, three-card monte, nap, penny-ante, poker, reversis, squeezers, old maid, fright, beggar-my- neighbor, baccarat, ace, king, queen, knave, jack, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, trey, deuce, joker, trump, wild card, spades, hearts, clubs, diamonds, major suit, minor suit, bower, right bower, left bower, dummy, jackpot, deck, pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full-house, four of a kind, royal flush, misere chess, draughts, checkers, checquers, backgammon, dominos, merelles, nine men's morris, go bang, solitaire, game of fox and goose, monopoly, loto, scrabble, scribbage, boggle, crossword puzzle, hangman, morra, gambling, toy, plaything, bauble, doll, teetotum, knickknack, magic lantern, peep show, puppet show, raree show, gallanty show, toy shop, quips and cranks and wanton wiles, nods and becks and wreathed smiles, entertainer, showman, showgirl, dancer, tap dancer, song-and-dance man, vaudeville act, singer, musician, sportsman, gamester, reveler, master of ceremonies, master of revels, pompom girl, arbiter elegantiarum, arbiter bibendi, archer, fan, toxophilite, turfman, amusing, entertaining, diverting, recreational, recreative, lusory, pleasant, laughable, witty, fun, festive, festal, jovial, jolly, jocund, roguish, rompish, playful, playful as a kitten, sportive, ludibrious, funny, very funny, hilarious, uproarious, side-splitting, amused, pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw, laughing, risible, ready to burst, ready to split, ready to die with laughter, convulsed with laughter, rolling in the aisles, on the light fantastic toe, at play, in sport, Int, vive la bagatelle!, vogue la galere!, deus nobis haec otia fecit, dum vivimus vivamus, dulce est desipere in loco, (every room) hath blazed with lights and brayed wi, misce stullitiam consiliis brevem.

Velocity

VB move quickly, trip, fisk, speed, hie, hasten, post, spank, scuttle, scud, scuddle, scour, scour the plain, scamper, run like mad, beat it, fly, race, run a race, cut away, shot, tear, whisk, zoom, swoosh, sweep, skim, brush, cut along, bowl along, barrel along, barrel, scorch, burn up the track, rush, dash on, dash off, dash forward, bolt, trot, gallop, amble, troll, bound, flit, spring, dart, boom, march in quick time, march in double time, ride hard, get over the ground, hurry, accelerate, put on, quicken, quicken one's pace, mend one's pace, clap spurs to one's horse, make haste, make rapid strides, make forced marches, make the best of one's way, put one's best leg foremost, stir one's stumps, wing one's way, set off at a score, carry sail, crowd sail, go off like a shot, go like a shot, go ahead, gain ground, outstrip the wind, fly on the wings of the wind, keep up with, keep pace with, outstrip, outmarch.