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tear |
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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