v. & n.
v.tr. & intr. (ripped, ripping) 1 tr. tear or cut (a thing) quickly or forcibly away or apart (ripped out the lining; ripped the book up). 2 tr. a make (a hole etc.) by ripping. b make a long tear or cut in. 3 intr. come violently apart; split. 4 intr. rush along.
n. 1 a long tear or cut. 2 an act of ripping. let rip colloq. 1 act or proceed without restraint. 2 speak violently. 3 not check the speed of or interfere with (a person or thing). rip-cord a cord for releasing a parachute from its pack. rip into attack (a person) verbally. rip off colloq. defraud, steal. rip-off n. colloq. 1 a fraud or swindle. 2 financial exploitation.
[ ME: orig. unkn. ]