Pa. t. tore, arch. and dial. tare. Pa. pple. torn. Forms: see below. [OE. ter-an, pa. t. tær, pl. tǽron, pa. pple. toren, = OLG. *teran (MD., MLG. teren, Du. teren, OHG. zeran (MHG. zeren, zern, Ger. zehren) to destroy, consume, Goth. gatairan to destroy. OTeut. *teran (tar, tâ·ron, to·ran-) was cognate with Gr. δέρειν to flay, OSlav. derą to tear asunder, Skr. dar- to burst. The OE. pa. t. tær (:—tar) survived as tare to 17th c., when it gave place in standard Eng. to tore, with o from pa. pple. toren, torn: cf. bore, swore. A weak pa. t. and pple. terede, tered, found in 15th c., are still dialectal, along with a mixed form tored, tord.]
A. Illustration of Forms.
1. Infin. and Pres. Stem. 1 teran (teoran, tearan) (3 pers. sing. tirð, tyrþ), 2–5 teren, 3 teoren, 3–6 tere, 4 teere, 5 teer, 6– Sc. teir, 6–7 teare, 6– tear. dial. 7– tare, 9 teer, teear.
a. 850. Lorica Gloss., in O. E. T., 172/2. Lacerandum, to teorenne.
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxii. § 1. He þe tirð on ða þrotan.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Mark ix. 26. Suiðe ʓetearende hine.
c. 975. Rushw. Gosp., ibid., Moniʓe teorende hine.
a. 1000. Riddles, xxii. 14 (Gr.). Fæst and forðweard fealleþ on sidan ðæt ic [a plough] toþum tere.
a. 1050. Liber Scintill., 105. Hit tyrþ ealswa snaca.
a. 1200. Tereð [see B. 2].
[a. 1225. Juliana, 12. Ichulle leoten deor to teoren ant to luken þe.]
1382. Wyclif, Gen. xl. 19. Fowlis shulen, teere thi fleish.
c. 1430. Hymns Virg., 49. To teer him from þe top to þe toon.
1552. Huloet, Teare in pieces, delacero. Ibid. Tear, lacero.
1567. Satir. Poems Reform., xi. 58. With glowing gunne that man to teir.
1662. Rump Songs (1874), I. 192. To tare the Rochet to such rags as these.
2. Past Tense. α. 1–2 tær, 3–5 tar, 4–5 taar, 4–7 tare; 6 Sc. (9 dial.) tor, 7– tore (9 dial. tar, Sc. tuir) Pl. 1–2 tǽron, 3 tiere, 3–4 tere(n, 4 tare(n, 4–5 ter, 5 terre; 5– same as sing.
α. c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xxxvii. 29. Ða tær he his claðas [L. scissis vestibus].
c. 1000. in Cockayne, Narrat. (1861), 15. Hie mid pæm þa men wundodon and tæron.
c. 1275. Lay., 25850. [Ȝeo] tar hire bi þan ere. Ibid., 24843. Hii … tiere ȝam bi þan heere.
13[?]. K. Alis., 4642. Alisaunder his cloþes taar. Ibid., 6876. Heore heir heo taren.
c. 1330. Tar [see B. 4].
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), ix. 81. And there weren Marie Cleophee and Marie Magdaleyne, and teren here heer.
14[?]. Hoccleve, Compl. Virgin, 239. A modir þat so soone hir cote taar Or rente.
[1513. Douglas, Æneis, XII. x. 129. Hyr rosy chekis to-tor and scartis sche.]
c. 1530. Hickscorner, A ij b. The knottes the skyn tare.
1611. Bible, 2 Sam. xiii. 31. The king arose, and tare his garments.
1653–4. Whitelocke, Jrnl. Swed. Emb. (1772), I. 378. Three Dutch men of war…, whom she tore, and killed many of their men.
1828. Craven Gloss., s.v. Tar, He tar his breeks to tatters.
β. 5 terede, terid, 6 teared, tearde, teard.
[a. 1450. Alexander, 4148. All þaire tents it to-terid.]
1578. Bowes, Lett. to Burghley, in Tytler, Hist. Scot. (1864), IV. 317. The king … teared his hairs.
1593. Pass. Morrice (1876), 78. Now tearde she her haire.
1599. M[oufet], Silkwormes, 73. Whilst herbage green with vnseene teeth they teard.
3. Pa. pple. α. 1–7 toren, 5–8 torne, 5 toryn, 6– torn. β. 4 i-tore, 4–9 (now dial.) tore. γ. 5 teryd, 6 teard, 6–7 (dial.) teared, 9 dial. tored.
α. [a. 1000. Aldhelm Gloss., 5386, in Napier, O. E. Glosses, 135/2. Lacerari, totoren.]
c. 1325. Deus Caritas, 25, in E. E. P. (1862), 127. Crist was toren vche a lym.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, ii. 62. Many heres pulled and many gownes toren.
1499. Promp. Parv., 522/2 (Pynson). Weryd or worne or torne.
1619. S. Atkinson, Gold Mynes Scotl. (Bann. Cl.), 15. Forced and torn from his bedd.
a. 1631. Donne, Hymn to Christ, 1. In what torne shipp soever I embark.
1658. Wood, Life, May (O.H.S.), I. 253. Toren downe.
β. 1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), IV. 331. Whan þey were i-tore.
a. 1400. Leg. Rood (1871), 143. Til trie fruit weore tore and toyled.
c. 1422. Hoccleve, Min. Poems (1892), 227. Hir clothes hath shee al to-rent & tore.
1730. A. Gordon, Maffei’s Amphith., 103. They were tore to pieces.
c. 1777. Horæ Subsecivæ, 427 (E. D. D.). Joan’s pitcher is tore.
γ. c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 522/2. Weryd, or teryd, or torvon.
a. 1529. Skelton, Col. Cloute, 1203. To be teared thus and torne.
1558. Phaer, Æneid, II. D j b. By Grekes shall Troy not now be teard.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Poems, Wks. (1711), 37/1. Kingdoms got by wrongs, by wrongs are tear’d.
1879. Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Word-bk., 432. I’ve tard my throck.
1897. E. Phillpotts, Lying Proph., I. vi. Just a rag tored off a petticoat.
B. Signification.
I. 1. trans. To pull asunder by force (a body or substance, now esp. one of thin and flexible consistence, as cloth or paper), usually so as to leave ragged or irregular edges; to rend. (Expressing either partial or complete separation of parts; in the latter case usually with adv. or advb. phr., as to tear up, to tear in (or to) pieces, etc.)
c. 1000. [see A. 2].
13[?]. Seuyn Sag. (W.), 782. The grehound wolde nowt sessed be, Til that adder ware toren of thre.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Shipman’s T., 136. Though men me wolde al in to pieces tere.
a. 1440. Sir Degrev., 1688. Leve syre, where have ȝe bene, ȝoure clothus to tere.
1530. Palsgr., 754/2. He hath torne my gowne a foote and more.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., V. iii. 35. By heauen I will teare thee ioynt by ioynt.
1649. Bp. Reynolds, Serm. Hosea, i. 32. The Serpent can sting, but he cannot teare in pieces.
1709. M. Pierrepoint, Lett. to Mrs. Wortley, in Lady M. W. Montagu’s Lett., lxiii. 104. She will … tear the letter, and never answer it.
1749. C. Lucas, Lett., v., in Political Constitutions (1751), 418. BUT, Tyrants, of all Denominations, shall find, to their Cost, that they must tear the Constitution to Tatters, before they can move the UPRIGHT and LOYAL, though low and mean Citizen.
1777. Cook, Voy. Pacific, II. vii. (1784), I. 291. They are always careful to join the small pieces lengthwise, which makes it impossible to tear the cloth in any direction but one.
1841. W. Spalding, Italy & It. Isl., III. 96. The unpopular minister of finance was torn in pieces by the mob.
1857. Hughes, Tom Brown, I. vii. Engaged in tearing up old newspapers … into small pieces.
1902. Buchan, Watcher by Threshold, 268. The boy had torn his clothes.
b. transf. To make (a hole, etc.) by tearing.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., V. v. 20. How these vaine weake nailes May teare a passage through the Flinty ribbes or this hard world.
Mod. You’ve torn a hole in my coat.
c. To break (a hard solid body) by force or violent impact; to shatter, split, rive. Now dial.
1582. N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., I. lxxi. 145 b. Their Fregates … were torne in pieces and sunke.
1588. Sir W. Wynter, Lett. to J. Hawkyns, 28 Feb. (P.R.O.). This winters weather … hath … torn many of our blocks, pulleis and sheevers.
a. 1600. Hooker, Answ. to Travers, § 25. As water spilt or poured into a torn dish.
c. 1626. Dick of Devon., I. ii., in Bullen, O. Pl. (1883), II. 16. From the armed winds an hoast brake forth which tare their shipps and sav’d ours.
1746. Francis, trans. Horace, Art of Poetry, 642. Like a baited Bear, If he hath Strength enough his Den to tear.
1828. Wheeler’s Mag., Nov., 481. In this county [Hampshire] break is used for tear, and tear for break, as, I have torn my best decanter, or china dish; I have broke my cambric apron.
1888. Elworthy, W. Somerset Word-bk., s.v., Mind you don’t tear the pitcher. Who’ve a-bin an’ a-tord the winder?
† d. Phr. To tear a (the) cat: to play the part of a roistering hero; to rant and bluster: cf. tear-cat in TEAR- 2. Obs.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., I. ii. 31. I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to teare a Cat in, to make all split.
1610. Histrio-m., 8. Sirrha is this you, would rend and teare the cat upon a stage?
2. To wound or injure by rending; to lacerate.
a. 1000. Ecgbert’s Confessional, § 40 (Thorpe, Laws, II. 164). ʓif hy[swin] deade men terað [laceraverint].
a. 1050. Liber Scintill., 78. Terende weleras his he ʓefremð yfel.
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 274. (Lamb.). Þeor beð naddren and snaken … Þa tereð and freteð be uuele speken.
13[?]. K. Alis., 5969 (Bodl. MS.). Hij ne shulle hem wiþ tooþ tere.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., VIII. 91. To tere her skynnes bothe.
1526. Tindale, Mark ix. 20. As sone as the sprete sawe him, he tare him.
1573–80. Baret, Alv., T 297. All his bodie is rent, or torne … laceratus est toto corpore.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 678. Their defenceless Limbs the Brambles tear.
1743. Francis, trans. Hor., Epod., iv. 3. Thou Wretch, whose Back with flagrant Whips is torn.
1813. J. Thomson, Lect. Inflam., 207. In wounds, in which the divided surfaces are much torn or bruised.
1875. Sir T. Seaton, Fret Cutting, 96. To avoid tearing the wood when cutting against the grain.
absol. c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., II. 532. Ne sceal he teran ne bitan swa swa wulf.
1545. Brinklow, Compl., 46 b. To teare lyke bearys, and to byte lyke cruel woluys.
3. In various fig. applications; esp., in later use, to split into parties or factions.
c. 1000. St. Basil’s Admonitio, v. (1849), 46. Ne ðu hine ne tæl ne ne ter mid wordum.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 122. The members of the churche tore a sondre.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., III. iii. 83. Though you thinke, that all, as you haue done, Haue torne their Soules. Ibid. (1602), Ham., III. ii. 11. To see a robustious Pery-wig-pated Fellow, tear a Passion to tatters.
1609. Ev. Woman in Hum., D iij. A Rogue … so tearing the sence, I neuer met with.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., II. 707. Nor, when contending Kindred tear the Crown, Will set up one, or pull another down.
1779. Mirror, No. 21, ¶ 2. My sneezing … which, she said, tore her poor nerves in pieces.
1845. S. Austin, Ranke’s Hist. Ref., III. 113. Christendom itself was torn with divisions.
1908. Daily News, 24 March, 6. He, too, tears his finish, while he still has his old fault.
† b. To tear (the name of) God, the body of Christ, etc.: to blaspheme; esp. to swear profanely by Christ’s limbs, etc. Obs.
c. 1325. Song of Mercy, 150, in E. E. P. (1862), 123. We stunt noþer for schame ne drede To teren vr god from top to to.
[c. 1386. Chaucer, Pard. T., 146. It is grisly for to heere hem swere Oure blissed lordes body they to-tere.]
1539. [see TEARING vbl. sb.1 1].
1557. F. Seager, Sch. Vertue, xi. C vij. What better art thou for this thy swearyng Blasfamouslye, the name of god tearyng?
a. 1624. Bp. M. Smith, Serm. (1632), 126. Did not the Spaniards sweare, and curse, and teare God?
c. Used of the effect of sounds, esp. loud or ‘piercing’ noises, on the air, etc.: = REND v. 4 b.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., II. ii. 162. Else would I teare the Caue where Eccho lies,… With repetition of my Romeo. Ibid. (1607), Cor., V. iii. 151. To teare with Thunder the wide Cheekes a’ th’ Ayre.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1472. What noise or shout was that? it tore the Skie.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 665. All her fellow Nymphs the Mountains tear With loud Laments.
1822. Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. Praise Chimneysweepers. A shout that tore the concave.
d. To harrow, wound, ‘rend’ (the heart, soul, feelings, etc.).
1666. Bunyan, Grace Ab., § 46. Now was I tore and rent in heavy case for many days together.
1718. Pope, Iliad, XXII. 526. Grief tears his heart.
1859. Helps, Friends in C., Ser. II. I. i. 28. That man torn by domestic affliction.
1872. Black, Adv. Phaeton, xi. The young man is torn asunder with doubts and fears.
4. To tear (out) the hair in a frenzy of grief or anger: now a hyperbolical expression.
c. 1000. Judith, 281. He þa … onʓan his feax teran hreoh on mode & his hræʓl somod.
c. 1330. K. Tars, 100. He tar the her of hed and berd.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, i. 34. He … wrange his handes and pulled his berde and tare alle his heres.
1580. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 374. He tare his haire, rent his clothes.
1700. Dryden, Pal. & Arc., I. 523. He roared, he beat his breast, he tore his hair.
1804. Joanna Baillie, Constantine Paleologus, V. iii., in Misc. Plays, 423.
| Let me then tear my hair and wring my hands, | |
| And raise my voice of anguish and despair. |
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, li. She might tear her long hair and cry her great eyes out. Ibid. (1855), Rose & Ring, ix. Bulbo began to cry bitterly, and tore quantities of hair out of his head.
5. To pull, wrench, or drag by main force from its attachment or fixed place. (With various advbs. or preps. according to sense.)
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), App. XX. 188. Hare fon come þere, Adoun of his hors henri hi tere Mid yrene crokes.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 7315. That men ne may in no manere Teren the wolf out of his hide.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1966. I shuld tere out þi tunge and þi tethe euyn.
a. 1425. Cursor M., 9072 (Trin.). My kingis robe of me ȝe tere.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, lv. 188. He … tare of helmes & strake out braynes.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. x. 36. The noble braunch from th’ antique stock was torne Through discord.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, II. (1634), 481. A great Earth-quake, which did teare downe halfe an Hill.
1667. Wood, Life (O.H.S.), II. 121. I find many leaves … toren out.
1699. Dampier, Voy., II. III. vi. 67. By tearing up the Trees by the Roots.
1704. Swift, Batt. Bks., Misc. (1711), 239. Who had tore off his Title-Page.
1705. Addison, Italy, 7 (tr. Lucan 1.). Ships from their Anchors torn.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xl. I could tear out mine eyes for their blindness!
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 387. The porters … tore down the placards in which the scheme was announced.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 872. They [molluscan tumours] may be easily torn out of the skin when mature.
b. fig. To take away or remove by force or violence; to force; refl. to force oneself away.
1574. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Fam. Ep. (1577), 310. Despiteful wordes that … breake her hart, & teare ye teares out of her eyes.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., III. ii. 287. What, will you teare Impatient answers from my gentle tongue?
1647. May, Hist. Parl., I. vii. 77. If a King will suffer men to be torne from him, he shall never have any good service done him.
1797. Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, i. At length he tore himself away.
1812. E. Wakefield, Acct. Irel., II. xxiv. 416. Neither would I tear the child from the arms of the parent, and from his native cabin, to place him in a school which has all the appearance of a gaol.
1829. Lytton, Devereux, III. ii. I think I see her now, as she stood the moment after I had torn myself from her embrace.
1888. J. Payn, Myst. Mirbridge (ed. Tauchn.), II. ii. 27. Before the gentlemen come in and tear you away from me.
6. intr. To perform the act of tearing; to make a tear or rent. To tear at, to continue to pull at in order to rend or lacerate.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 258 b. Ye, and many moo sorowes dyd teare & thryll thorowe her herte.
1848. W. E. Burton, Waggeries, etc., 25 (Farmer). They … kept on tearin at each other like a pack o’ wolves.
1867. Aug. J. E. Wilson, Vashti, xxxi. His hands, partially confined, were tearing at the inflamed flesh.
7. intr. (for refl. and pass.) To become torn or rent; dial. to burst asunder, split, snap, break.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 260 b. His handes & fete dyd rent & teare for the weyght of his blessed body.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 149. The Boards will Tear or Shake, which is in vulgar English, Split or Crack.
1710. J. Clarke, trans. Rohault’s Nat. Phil. (1729), I. 229. Cloths and other Stuffs of this Colour must tear and wear sooner than those of any other Colour.
1776. Withering, Brit. Plants (1796), III. 352. Veil before the capsule swells, 4-sided; afterwards it tears into 2, 3, or 4 segments.
1838. Drummond, in Mag. Zool. & Bot., II. 156. If attempted to be restored without … being first damped, the specimen tears through the middle.
1865. Kingsley, Herew., vi. All of a sudden … the clouds rose, tore up into ribands, and … blew clean away.
II. 8. intr. † To rant and bluster as a roisterer (obs.); † to vociferate (obs.); to ‘go on’ violently, to rave in anger or excitement, to rage (dial.).
1601. B. Jonson, Poetaster, III. iv. Hee will teach thee to teare and rand, Rascall, to him.
1672. Dryden, Marriage à-la-Mode, III. i. Three tailors … who were tearing out as loud as ever they could sing.
1690. Andros Tracts, I. 207. Towns … which Rant and Tear at a great rate, because of a small Rate.
1736. Ainsworth, Lat. Dict. (1783), s.v. Tear, To rant, or tear along, tumultuor, debacchor, vociferationibus vias incessu implere.
1853. Thackeray, Eng. Hum., i. (1858), 33. He goes through life, tearing, like a man possessed with a devil.
1897. G. Bartram, People of Clopton, v. 132. She stamped and foamed, and swore and tore.
9. intr. To move with violence or impetuosity; to rush or ‘burst’ impetuously or violently. colloq. Sometimes with the notion of a force that would tear its way through obstacles.
1599. Massinger, etc., Old Law, V. i. The nimble fencer this, that made me tear And traverse ’bout the chamber?
1637. Suckling, Aglaura, V. i. (Stage direct.) Enter, tearing in, Pasithas.
1779. Mme. D’Arblay, Diary, Nov. I cannot bear to see Othello tearing about in that violent manner.
1786. trans. Beckford’s Vathek, 56. I thought I heard … the shrieks of a thousand bats, tearing from their crannies.
1842. Thackeray, Miss Tickletoby’s Lect., ix. Edward came tearing down to the borders on the news.
1877. A. B. Edwards, Up Nile, vi. 142. The boat tears on before the wind.
1894. Fenn, In Alpine Valley, I. 43. This river tore down the narrow valley with headlong violence.
1901. H. Furniss, Confess. Caricaturist, I. iii. 79. The animals snorted … and … tore off … at a tremendous rate.
