verbWord forms: shreds, shredding, shredded or shred
3. (transitive)
to tear or cut into shreds
Derived forms
shredder (ˈshredder)
noun
Word origin
Old English scread; related to Old Norse skrjōthr torn-up book, Old High German scrōt cut-off piece; see scroll, shroud, screed
shredding in American English
(ˈʃredɪŋ)
noun
furring attached to the undersides of rafters
Also: shreading
Word origin
[1660–70; orig. uncert.]This word is first recorded in the period 1660–70. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: adhesive, aspirate, cantilever, indicator, sketch
Examples of 'shredding' in a sentence
shredding
The phones are constantly ringing, and the fax is whirring plus there's a huge pile of shredding to be done.
Isabel Wolff RESCUING ROSE (2002)
None have ever been so nerve-shredding, though.
The Sun (2017)
As to shredding, some companies will carry this out at your home.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Shredding this dry material will enable better aeration and carbon uptake.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It's his nerve-shredding turn that elevates a good film to a great one.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
These include not sharing personal information online, and shredding any documents you don't need.
The Sun (2016)
Some die-hard groupies have clocked up a wallet-shredding 20 trips each.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
They are going to do it biting their nails and shredding their nerves.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
With four minutes to play, their legs were shaking and their nerves shredding.