v. 1 rip, rend, rive, rupture, pull apart, shred, mutilate, mangle, claw, split, divide, separate, sever The tiger is tearing its quarry to shreds He tore the contract in half and stormed out. 2 pull, snatch, wrench The force of the blast tore the attaché case from my grasp The child was torn from her mother's arms by the soldier. 3 dash, fly, run, gallop, race, sprint, rush, scoot, shoot, sprint, speed, bolt, dart, flit, scurry, scuttle, career, zoom, hurry, hasten, Colloq zip He is tearing around trying to find the money to cover his loan
n. 4 rip, rent, rupture, hole, split, slash, gore, cut, score, slit, gash, fissure, rift, laceration Nobody will see the tear in your trousers if you remain seated