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Tear   /tɛr/  /tɪr/   Listen
noun
Tear  n.  
1.
(Physiol.) A drop of the limpid, saline fluid secreted, normally in small amount, by the lachrymal gland, and diffused between the eye and the eyelids to moisten the parts and facilitate their motion. Ordinarily the secretion passes through the lachrymal duct into the nose, but when it is increased by emotion or other causes, it overflows the lids. "And yet for thee ne wept she never a tear."
2.
Something in the form of a transparent drop of fluid matter; also, a solid, transparent, tear-shaped drop, as of some balsams or resins. "Let Araby extol her happy coast, Her fragrant flowers, her trees with precious tears."
3.
That which causes or accompanies tears; a lament; a dirge. (R.) "Some melodous tear."
4.
(Glass Manuf.) A partially vitrified bit of clay in glass. Note: Tear is sometimes used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, tear-distilling, tear-drop, tear-filled, tear-stained, and the like.
Tears of St. Lawrence, the Perseid shower of meteors, seen every year on or about the eve of St. Lawrence, August 9th.
Tears of wine, drops which form and roll down a glass above the surface of strong wine. The phenomenon is due to the evaporation of alcohol from the surface layer, which, becoming more watery, increases in surface tension and creeps up the sides until its weight causes it to break.


Tear  n.  The act of tearing, or the state of being torn; a rent; a fissure.
Wear and tear. See under Wear, n.


verb
Tear  v. t.  (past tore, obs. tare; past part. torn; pres. part. tearing)  
1.
To separate by violence; to pull apart by force; to rend; to lacerate; as, to tear cloth; to tear a garment; to tear the skin or flesh. "Tear him to pieces; he's a conspirator."
2.
Hence, to divide by violent measures; to disrupt; to rend; as, a party or government torn by factions.
3.
To rend away; to force away; to remove by force; to sunder; as, a child torn from its home. "The hand of fate Hath torn thee from me."
4.
To pull with violence; as, to tear the hair.
5.
To move violently; to agitate. "Once I loved torn ocean's roar."
To tear a cat, to rant violently; to rave; especially applied to theatrical ranting. (Obs.)
To tear down, to demolish violently; to pull or pluck down.
To tear off, to pull off by violence; to strip.
To tear out, to pull or draw out by violence; as, to tear out the eyes.
To tear up, to rip up; to remove from a fixed state by violence; as, to tear up a floor; to tear up the foundation of government or order.


Tear  v. i.  (past tore, obs. tare; past part. torn; pres. part. tearing)  
1.
To divide or separate on being pulled; to be rent; as, this cloth tears easily.
2.
To move and act with turbulent violence; to rush with violence; hence, to rage; to rave.





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Tear" Quotes from Famous Books



... Broglio, though disturbed in his Gottingen fortifyings and operations, be ejected out of Gottingen. Ferdinand, on failure of Wesel, himself marched to Gottingen, and tried for some days; but found he could not, in such weather, tear out that firmly rooted French Post, but must be content to "mask it," for the present; and, this done, withdrew (December 13th) to his winter-quarters near by, as did Broglio to his,—about the time Friedrich and Daun had ...
— History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Vol. XX. (of XXI.) • Thomas Carlyle
... picture. It presents interesting figures, natural situations, and warm colors. Written in a quiet key, it is yet moving, and the letter from Bolton describing the fortunate sale of Roger's painting of "The Factory Bell" sends a tear of sympathetic joy to the reader's eye. Roger Berkeley was a young American art student in Paris, called home by the mortal sickness of his mother, and detained at home by the spendthriftness of his father and the ...
— The Easiest Way in Housekeeping and Cooking - Adapted to Domestic Use or Study in Classes • Helen Campbell
... wistful mother-eyes are blurred With sudden mists, as lingerers stay, And the old dusts are roused and stirred By the warm tear-drops of to-day. ...
— Verses • Susan Coolidge
... staff and she fled, but he followed and beat her even more. Then the woman wept. In her anger she turned and flung her basket at the man. And even then they were changed into stone. The woman's basket lies upturned beside the man. The woman's face is tear-stained, with long ...
— Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest • Katharine Berry Judson
... that was a stunner! I reckon if Daddy was here he'd say, 'what a fall was there, my countrymen!'" Custard wagged agreeingly, and sniffed inquiringly at the strip of pink leg showing through the long jagged tear in one of his small mistress's ...
— Patricia • Emilia Elliott


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