[rend] vb rent also rend.ed ; rend.ing [ME, fr. OE rendan; akin to OFris renda to tear and perh. to Skt randhra hole] vt (bef. 12c) 1: to remove from place by violence: wrest
2: to split or tear apart or in pieces by violence
3: to tear (the hair or clothing) as a sign of anger, grief, or despair
4. a: to lacerate mentally or emotionally b: to pierce with sound c: to divide (as a nation) into contesting factions ~ vi 1: to perform an act of tearing or splitting
2: to become torn or split syn see tear