3  definitions  found 
 
  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]: 
 
  Torn  \Torn\, 
  p.  p.  of  {Tear}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  torn 
  adj  1:  having  edges  that  are  jagged  from  injury  [syn:  {lacerate},  {lacerated}, 
  {mangled}] 
  2:  disrupted  by  the  pull  of  contrary  forces;  "torn  between  love 
  and  hate";  "torn  by  conflicting  loyalties";  "torn  by 
  religious  dissensions" 
  3:  shattered  or  torn  up  or  torn  apart  violently  as  by  e.g.  wind 
  or  lightning  or  explosive;  "an  old  blasted  apple  tree";  "a 
  tree  rent  by  lightning";  "cities  torn  by  bombs"; 
  "earthquake-torn  streets"  [syn:  {blasted},  {rent},  {ripped}] 

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