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- pronunciation:
- teIr
- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, intransitive verb, noun
- phrases:
- tear down, tear up
- features:
- Word Explorer
part of speech: |
transitive verb |
inflections: |
tears, tearing, tore, torn |
definition 1: |
to pull apart or into pieces.
She tore the old clothes into rags.- synonyms:
- rend, rip, rive, sunder
- similar words:
- pull, sever, shred
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definition 2: |
to damage or make a hole in by ripping.
The child tore her dress while climbing the tree.- synonyms:
- rip, split
- similar words:
- snag
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definition 3: |
to cause or create by ripping.
He tore a hole in the knee of his pants.- similar words:
- rip
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definition 4: |
to lacerate.
He tore his leg in the accident.- synonyms:
- cut, gash, lacerate
- similar words:
- injure, mangle, wound
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definition 5: |
to disrupt; disturb.
Their lives were torn by misfortune.- synonyms:
- ravage, rend
- similar words:
- break, disrupt, disturb, fracture, harrow
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definition 6: |
to snatch or wrench away forcefully.
The child tore the toys away from his little sister.- synonyms:
- wrench, wrest, yank
- similar words:
- grab, jerk, pluck, pull, snatch
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related words: |
bust, claw, cleave, crack, damage, gash, hurt, lacerate, part, pry, rupture, savage, sever, slash, split, strip, wear, withdraw, worry, wrench, wring |
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part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
definition 1: |
to become pulled apart or ripped into pieces.
The shirt tore.- synonyms:
- rip
- similar words:
- bust, divide, shred, split
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definition 2: |
to move rapidly; rush.
He tore around the house looking for his keys.- synonyms:
- dash, race, rush
- similar words:
- bolt, chase, clip, dart, fling, fly, hurry, zip
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definition 3: |
to cause or make a rip in something.
The cat can tear with its claws.- similar words:
- rend, shred
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definition 4: |
to try to rip or remove (usu. fol. by "at").
The crowd was tearing at his clothes.- synonyms:
- clutch
- similar words:
- grab, seize
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related words: |
bite, break, claw, cleave, damage, flash, fleet, hurtle, pluck, rage, run, rupture, rush, scratch, scurry, sever, slash, speed, storm, wear |
phrase: |
tear down |
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part of speech: |
noun |
definition 1: |
the act of tearing.
His bending over caused a sudden tear of his pants, which greatly amused the children.- synonyms:
- rending, rip
- similar words:
- cut
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definition 2: |
the result of such an act; rent.
His shirt has a tear.- synonyms:
- rent, rip
- similar words:
- cut, gap, hole, snag, split
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related words: |
break, dart, flaw, gash, pluck, pull |
phrase: |
tear up |
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