tear¹

noun countable

UK /tɪə(r)/

Word Forms

singular	tear
plural	tears

1
a drop of liquid that comes from your eye when you cry
Her eyes filled with tears.
tears of joy/laughter/rage etc:
She welcomed Ian with tears of joy when he returned home.
Synonyms and related words
Relating to crying and tears
tear
cry
tearful
1. 1a
  
  tears
  plural the state of crying
  in tears (=crying):
  I was left standing there in tears.
  burst into tears (=start crying suddenly):
  She slammed the phone down and burst into tears.
  close/near to tears (=almost crying):
  I was near to tears when she said goodbye.
  on the verge of tears (=almost crying):
  Colin saw I was on the verge of tears.
  fight back (the) tears (=try hard not to cry):
  She fought back the tears as she told us the dreadful news.
  reduce someone to tears (=make someone cry):
  He was well known for reducing his staff to tears.
  Synonyms and related words
  Relating to crying and tears
  tear
  cry
  tearful
2
to break into tears
to start to cry suddenly
Debbie broke into tears when her mom said that her dog had died.
Submitted by:
Marise from Brazil on 30/04/2017
Open Dictionary - April2017
3
go on a tear
mainly American
to show a sudden burst of energy or activity
I could go on a tear myself about lazy and unrepentant resort to journalese or fashion copy that makes me break out in hives.
The economy in Brazil is on a tear.
Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 05/01/2016
Open Dictionary - January2016
4
go on a/the tear
Irish
to go on a drinking binge
Every once in a while I’d go off on a tear and the day after was usually a wash.
Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 05/01/2016
Open Dictionary - January2016

phrases

bring a tear to someone’s eye

it’ll (all) end in tears

tear²

noun countable

UK /teə(r)/

Word Forms

singular	tear
plural	tears

1
a hole in a piece of paper, cloth etc where it has been torn
It’s not a bad tear – we should be able to mend it.
tear in:
There was a tear in her coat.
Synonyms and related words
Holes and openings in surfaces
abyss
aperture
blowhole

tear¹

noun countable

US /tɪr/

Word Forms

singular	tear
plural	tears

1
a drop of liquid that comes from your eye when you cry
Her eyes filled with tears.
tears of joy/laughter/rage etc.:
She welcomed Kevin with tears of joy when he returned home.
Synonyms and related words
Relating to crying and tears
tear
teardrop
cry
1. 1a
  
  tears
  plural the state of crying
  in tears (=crying):
  I was left standing there in tears.
  burst into tears (=start crying suddenly):
  She slammed the phone down and burst into tears.
  close/near to tears (=almost crying):
  I was near to tears when she said goodbye.
  on the verge of tears (=almost crying):
  Colin saw I was on the verge of tears.
  fight back (the) tears (=try hard not to cry):
  She fought back the tears as she told us the dreadful news.
  reduce someone to tears (=make someone cry):
  He was well known for reducing his staff to tears.
  Synonyms and related words
  Relating to crying and tears
  tear
  teardrop
  cry
2
to break into tears
to start to cry suddenly
Debbie broke into tears when her mom said that her dog had died.
Submitted by:
Marise from Brazil on 30/04/2017
Open Dictionary - April2017
3
go on a tear
mainly American
to show a sudden burst of energy or activity
I could go on a tear myself about lazy and unrepentant resort to journalese or fashion copy that makes me break out in hives.
The economy in Brazil is on a tear.
Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 05/01/2016
Open Dictionary - January2016
4
go on a/the tear
Irish
to go on a drinking binge
Every once in a while I’d go off on a tear and the day after was usually a wash.
Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 05/01/2016
Open Dictionary - January2016

phrases

bring a tear to someone’s eye

tear²

noun countable

US /ter/

Word Forms

singular	tear
plural	tears

1
a hole in a piece of paper, cloth, etc. where it has been torn
It’s not a bad tear – we should be able to mend it.
tear in:
There was a tear in her coat.
Synonyms and related words
Holes and openings in surfaces
abyss
aperture
blowhole

tear

verb

UK /teə(r)/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	tear
he/she/it	tears
present participle	tearing
past tense	tore
past participle	torn

1
intransitive/transitive to pull something so that it separates into pieces or gets a hole in it, or to become damaged in this way
It’s made of very thin material that tears easily.
He’d torn his raincoat.
tear a hole in something:
I’ve torn a hole in my sweater!
tear something to pieces/bits/shreds:
Mary tore the letter to pieces without reading it.
tear something in two:
Reynolds tore the contract in two.
Synonyms and related words
To tear something, or to be torn
tear
rip
rip up
Synonyms and related words
To make a hole, dent or line in something
tear
pierce
pit
1. 1a
  transitive to accidentally damage cloth, paper etc with something sharp or by getting it stuck on something
  tear something on something:
  I must have torn my sleeve on that nail.
  Synonyms and related words
  To tear something, or to be torn
  tear
  rip
  rip up
2
transitive to damage something such as a muscle by stretching it until it pulls apart
I tore a muscle playing football.
Synonyms and related words
To injure yourself or someone else
injure
harm
wound
Synonyms and related words
Relating to muscles and tendons
cartilaginous
contract
motor
3
intransitive to move somewhere very quickly, especially in an excited or uncontrolled way
tear into/off/past etc:
Those kids are always tearing around here on their bicycles.
Synonyms and related words
To move somewhere quickly
fly
hasten
speed
4
transitive to remove something by pulling it away from something else with force
tear something out/off/away from etc:
You’ll need to tear the old wallpaper off the walls.
The storm had torn the old tree up by the roots.
Synonyms and related words
To remove by pulling
snatch
rip
draw

phrases

be in a tearing hurry

be torn by something

tear someone’s heart out/tear at someone’s heart

tear someone off a strip/tear a strip off someone

tear something open

tear someone/something to pieces/shreds

that’s torn it

torn between

phrasal verbs

tear apart

tear at

tear away

tear down

tear into

tear off

tear up

tear¹

verb

US /ter/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	tear
he/she/it	tears
present participle	tearing
past tense	tore
past participle	torn

1
intransitive/transitive to pull something so that it separates into pieces or gets a hole in it, or to become damaged in this way
It’s made of very thin material that tears easily.
He’d torn his raincoat.
tear a hole in something:
I’ve torn a hole in my sweater!
tear something to pieces/bits/shreds:
Mary tore the letter to pieces without reading it.
tear something in two:
Reynolds tore the contract in two.
Synonyms and related words
To tear something, or to be torn
tear
rip
shred
Synonyms and related words
To make a hole, dent or line in something
tear
pierce
puncture
1. 1a
  transitive to accidentally damage cloth, paper, etc. with something sharp or by getting it stuck on something
  tear something on something:
  I must have torn my sleeve on that nail.
  Synonyms and related words
  To tear something, or to be torn
  tear
  rip
  shred
2
transitive to damage something such as a muscle by stretching it until it pulls apart
I tore a muscle playing football.
Synonyms and related words
To injure yourself or someone else
injure
harm
wound
Synonyms and related words
Relating to muscles and tendons
cartilaginous
contract
motor
3
transitive to remove something by pulling it away from something else with force
tear something out/off/away from etc.:
You’ll need to tear the old wallpaper off the walls.
The storm had torn the old tree up by the roots.
Synonyms and related words
To remove by pulling
snatch
rip
draw
4
intransitive to move somewhere very quickly, especially in an excited or uncontrolled way
tear into/off/past etc.:
Those kids are always tearing around here on their bicycles.
Synonyms and related words
To move somewhere quickly
fly
hasten
speed

phrases

be torn by something

tear someone’s heart out/tear at someone’s heart

tear someone/something to pieces/shreds

torn between

tear something open

phrasal verbs

tear apart

tear at

tear away

tear down

tear into

tear off

tear up

tear1 ​‌‌

tears

to break into tears

go on a tear

go on a/the tear

tear2 ​‌

tear1 ​‌‌

tears

to break into tears

go on a tear

go on a/the tear

tear2 ​‌

tear ​‌‌

tear1 ​‌‌

tear¹

tear²

tear¹

tear²

tear

tear¹