TEAR


Meaning of TEAR in English

~ 1 [ tɛ: ]

■ verb ( past tore ; past participle torn )

1》 pull or rip apart or to pieces.

↘make a hole or split in.

↘damage (a muscle or ligament) by overstretching it.

↘( ~ something down ) demolish something.

2》 ( ~ something apart ) destroy something, especially good relations between people.

↘( be torn ) be in a state of uncertainty between two conflicting options or parties.

3》 ( ~ oneself away ) [usu. with negative ] leave despite a strong desire to stay.

4》 informal move very quickly and in an uncontrolled manner.

5》 ( ~ into ) attack verbally.

■ noun a hole or split caused by ~ing.

Phrases

~ one's hair out informal feel extreme desperation.

~ someone off a strip (or ~ 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

~able adjective

~er noun

Origin

OE teran , of Gmc origin.

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~ 2 [ 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 ~s crying.

Derivatives

~y adjective

Origin

OE tēar , of Gmc origin.

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.