Tear (Verb)
Meaning 1
Separate or cause to separate abruptly; "The rope snapped"; "tear the paper".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- She tried to tear the stubborn package open with her hands.
- A loud sound echoed through the air as the massive branch began to tear from the tree trunk.
- Be careful not to tear the intricate web that the spider spun overnight.
- The athlete's tendon started to tear during the intense soccer match.
- The explosion would tear the metal door off its hinges.
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Meaning 2
To separate or be separated by force; "planks were in danger of being torn from the crossbars".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The sudden jerk of the rope was enough to tear the old hook from the ceiling.
- A strong gust of wind was on the verge of tearing the tree branch from its trunk.
- In the intense struggle, the page was likely to tear from the old book.
- She had to carefully repair the shoulder of her coat to prevent it from tearing further.
- The relentless current threatened to tear the boat from its moorings.
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Meaning 3
Strip of feathers; "pull a chicken"; "pluck the capon".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- To pluck the capon they had to start by moving the legs apart and then tear the strip of feathers away from the meat.
- Pull a chicken requires some practice, as the expert chef demonstrated by quickly tear out handfuls of feathers in one motion.
- Beginners tend to struggle with the task of plucking a chicken and fail to tear a strip of feathers off at one time effectively.
- She decided to cook the capon by first tear out the feathers on the underside of the bird to ensure a clean and smooth surface for roasting.
- When tear the fluffy tuft of feathers from under the chicken's thigh, gently work the fingers upwards.
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Meaning 4
Fill with tears or shed tears; "Her eyes were tearing".
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
Examples
- The video of the old couple reuniting after years made my eyes start to tear.
- Her emotions were so raw, her eyes began to tear as she delivered the eulogy.
- The sad news brought tears to her eyes and she started tearing uncontrollably.
- The tragic storyline was so intense that it made my eyes begin to tear.
- As he looked at the picture of his deceased loved one, his eyes started tearing up.
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Meaning 5
Move quickly and violently; "The car tore down the street"; "He came charging into my office".
Classification
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.
Examples
- The fire department tore down the highway to reach the accident scene on time.
- She tore through the mall, desperate to catch the last sale at her favorite store.
- The furious dog tore around the corner, causing everyone to scatter.
- He tore across the finish line, smashing the record for the fastest marathon time.
- The manager tore into the meeting room, furious about the news she had just received.