Teapot Dome scandal
Teapot Dome scandal

tear


Definition: Meaning of, tear in English to English dictionary.

Pronunciation: / tɛː /

  • noun
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Word Forms:
Singular Plural
tear tears
[countable]
  1. [countable usually plural] a drop of salty liquid that comes out of your eye when you are crying
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  2. it'll (all) end in tears British English spoken used to warn someone that something they are doing will cause problems or arguments between people
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  3. a hole in a piece of cloth or paper where it has been torn
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  • verb
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Word Forms:
Prsesent Past Past Participle
tear tore torn
Present Participle Third Person Singular
tearing tears
  1. paper/cloth [transitive] to damage something such as paper or cloth by pulling it hard or letting it touch something sharp [=  rip]
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  2. paper/cloth [intransitive] if paper or cloth tears, it splits and a hole appears, because it has been pulled too hard or has touched something sharp
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  3. move quickly [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to run or drive somewhere very quickly, especially in a dangerous or careless way
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  4. remove something [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to pull something violently from a person or place
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  5. be torn if you are torn, you are unable to decide what to do because you have different feelings or different things that you want
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  6. be torn if a country or group is torn, it is divided because people in it have very different ideas and are arguing or fighting with each other
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  7. muscle [transitive] to damage a muscle or LIGAMENT
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  8. tear loose to move violently and no longer be attached to something
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  9. tear somebody/something to shreds/pieces informal to criticize someone or something very severely
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  10. tear somebody off a strip/tear a strip off somebody British English informal to talk to someone very angrily because they have done something wrong
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  11. tear somebody limb from limb literary to attack someone in a very violent way
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  12. be tearing your hair out British English informal to feel anxious and upset because you are worried, or because you have to deal with something that is very difficult
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  13. be in a tearing hurry British English to be doing something very quickly because you are late
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  14. tear somebody's heart (out)/tear at somebody's heart to make someone feel extremely upset
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  15. that's torn it! British English spoken old-fashioned used when something bad has happened that stops you from doing what you intended to do
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tear used in phrases

  • tear duct (noun)
    1. any of several small ducts that carry tears from the lacrimal glands
  • tear gas (noun)
    1. a gas that stings your eyes, used by the police to control crowds
  • tear gland (noun)
    1. any of the glands in the eyes that secrete tears
  • tear sac (noun)
    1. either of the two dilated ends of the lacrimal ducts at the nasal ends of the eyes that fill with tears secreted by the lacrimal glands
  • tear sheet (noun)
    1. a sheet that can be easily torn out of a publication
  • wear and tear (noun)
    1. decrease in value of an asset due to obsolescence or use
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tear used in phrasal verbs

  • tear apart (phrasal verb)
    1. to make someone feel very sad, upset, or worried
    2. to make people argue and damage their relationship
  • tear at (phrasal verb)
    1. tear at something to pull very strongly at something
  • tear away (phrasal verb)
    1. tear someone/something away to force yourself or someone else to leave or to stop doing something
  • tear down (phrasal verb)
    1. to destroy or remove a structure or part of a structure
  • tear into (phrasal verb)
    1. tear into someone/something to physically attack someone or something
    2. tear into someone/something to criticize someone or something very angrily
  • tear off (phrasal verb)
    1. to remove your clothes quickly and carelessly
    2. British English informal to write something quickly
  • tear up (phrasal verb)
    1. to destroy something such as a piece of paper or cloth by pulling it into pieces
    2. to damage or destroy something by attacking it violently
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lorikeet
Pronunciation: ˈlɒrɪkiːt
Parts of Speech: noun
any of various small lories
tear apart