6  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tear  \Tear\,  n.  (Glass  Manuf.) 
  A  partially  vitrified  bit  of  clay  in  glass. 
 
  {Tears  of  St  Lawrence},  the  Perseid  shower  of  meteors,  seen 
  every  year  on  or  about  the  eve  of  St  Lawrence,  August 
  9th. 
 
  {T.  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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tear  \Tear\  (t[=e]r),  n.  [AS.  te['a]r;  akin  to  G.  z["a]rhe,  OHG. 
  zahar,  OFries  &  Icel.  t[=a]r,  Sw  t[*a]r,  Dan.  taare,  Goth. 
  tagr,  OIr.  d[=e]r,  W.  dagr,  OW  dacr,  L.  lacrima,  lacruma 
  for  older  dacruma  Gr  da`kry,  da`kryon,  da`kryma.  [root]59. 
  Cf  {Lachrymose}.] 
  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. 
  --Chaucer. 
 
  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.  --Dryden. 
 
  3.  That  which  causes  or  accompanies  tears;  a  lament;  a  dirge. 
  [R.]  ``Some  melodous  tear.''  --Milton. 
 
  Note:  Tear  is  sometimes  used  in  the  formation  of 
  self-explaining  compounds;  as  tear-distilling, 
  tear-drop,  tear-filled,  tear-stained,  and  the  like 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tear  \Tear\,  v.  i. 
  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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tear  \Tear\  (t[^a]r),  v.  t.  [imp.  {Tore}  (t[=o]r),  ((Obs. 
  {Tare})  (t[^a]r);  p.  p.  {Torn}  (t[=o]rn);  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Tearing}.]  [OE.  teren,  AS  teran;  akin  to  OS  farterian  to 
  destroy,  D.  teren  to  consume,  G.  zerren  to  pull  to  tear, 
  zehren  to  consume,  Icel.  t[ae]ra,  Goth.  gata['i]ran  to 
  destroy,  Lith.  dirti  to  flay,  Russ.  drate  to  pull  to  tear, 
  Gr  de`rein  to  flay,  Skr.  dar  to  burst.  [root]63.  Cf  {Darn}, 
  {Epidermis},  {Tarre},  {Tirade}.] 
  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.  --Shak. 
 
  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  --Addison. 
 
  4.  To  pull  with  violence;  as  to  tear  the  hair. 
 
  5.  To  move  violently;  to  agitate.  ``Once  I  loved  torn  ocean's 
  roar.''  --Byron. 
 
  {To  tear  a  cat},  to  rant  violently;  to  rave;  --  especially 
  applied  to  theatrical  ranting.  [Obs.]  --Shak. 
 
  {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 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Tear  \Tear\,  n. 
  The  act  of  tearing,  or  the  state  of  being  torn;  a  rent;  a 
  fissure.  --Macaulay. 
 
  {Wear  and  tear}.  See  under  {Wear},  n. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  tear 
  n  1:  a  drop  of  the  clear  salty  saline  solution  secreted  by  the 
  lacrimal  glands;  "his  story  brought  tears  to  her  eyes" 
  [syn:  {teardrop}] 
  2:  an  opening  made  forcibly  as  by  pulling  apart;  "there  was  a 
  rip  in  his  pants"  [syn:  {rip},  {rent},  {split}] 
  3:  an  occasion  for  heavy  drinking;  "they  went  on  a  bust  that 
  lasted  three  days"  [syn:  {bust},  {bender},  {binge},  {toot}, 
  {booze-up}] 
  4:  the  act  of  tearing;  "he  took  the  manuscript  in  both  hands 
  and  gave  it  a  mighty  tear" 
  v  1:  separate  or  cause  to  separate  abruptly;  "The  rope  snapped"; 
  "tear  the  paper"  [syn:  {rupture},  {snap},  {bust}] 
  2:  to  separate  or  be  separated  by  force:  "planks  were  in  danger 
  of  being  torn  from  the  crossbars." 
  3:  move  quickly  and  violently;  "The  car  tore  down  the  street"; 
  "He  came  charging  into  my  office"  [syn:  {shoot},  {shoot 
  down},  {charge},  {buck}] 
  4:  strip  of  feathers;  as  of  chickens  [syn:  {pluck},  {pull},  {deplume}, 
  {deplumate},  {displume}] 
  5:  move  precipitously  or  violently;  "The  tornado  ripped  along 
  the  coast"  [syn:  {rip}] 
  6:  fill  with  tears  or  shed  tears;  "Her  eyes  were  tearing" 

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