tear*/*/

[teə] (past tense tore [tɔː] ; past participle torn [tɔːn] ) verb I

1) [I/T] to pull something so that it separates into pieces or gets a hole in it, or to become damaged in this way

Syn:

rip

He'd torn his raincoat.[/ex]

It's very thin material that tears easily.[/ex]

Mary tore the letter to pieces.[/ex]

He tore the envelope open.[/ex]

2) [T] to remove something by pulling it away from something else with force

You'll need to tear the old wallpaper off the walls.[/ex]

The storm had torn the old tree up by the roots.[/ex]

3) to move somewhere very quickly, usually in an excited or uncontrolled way

Those kids are always tearing around here on their bicycles.[/ex]

•

torn between — unable to decide which of two people or things you want most[/ex]

[i]I was torn between my family and my career.[/ex]

- tear sb apart

- tear sth apart

- tear sb/sth apart

- tear sb/sth away

- tear sth down

- tear sth off

- tear sth up

II

noun [C]

tear [teə]

a hole in something where it has been torn

There was a tear in her coat.[/ex]

•

See:

wear II

III

noun

tear */*/[tɪə]

1) [C] a drop of liquid that comes from your eye when you cry

Her eyes filled with tears.[/ex]

She welcomed Ian with tears of joy.[/ex]

2) tears

[plural] the state of crying

I was left standing there in tears (= crying).[/ex]

She slammed the phone down and burst into tears (= suddenly started crying).[/ex]

I was near to tears (= almost crying) when she said goodbye.[/ex]

She fought back the tears (= tried hard not to cry) as she told us the dreadful news.[/ex]