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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Tear Definition: Teardrop and Rip Apart Explained (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：teardrop (tear)

tear 🔊

/tɪər/; /tɛər/

n.; v.

A drop of salty water from your eye when you cry or feel strong emotion.

teardrop 🔊

➕

/ˈtɪərdrɒp/

n.; v.

A droplet of saline liquid secreted by the lacrimal glands, typically as a result of emotion or irritation.

📁 Category：Physical & Mental Health 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Old English 'tēar' (noun) and 'teran' (verb); both from Proto-Germanic.

💡 Mnemonic

Noun rhymes with 'fear'—fear brings tears. Verb like 'wear'—wear out paper by tearing.

📖 Example

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she watched the emotional ending of the movie in the cinema. 🔊 A single tear rolled down her cheek as she watched the emotional ending of the movie in the cinema.

🔗 Collocations

cry tears of joy – to shed tears because of happiness

shed a tear – to let a tear fall, often lightly

tear-stained face – a face marked with dried tears

🔄 Synonyms

teardrop (n.) – A single drop of salty water from the eye

drop (n.) – A small rounded mass of liquid

🚫 Antonyms

laughter (n.) – The sound or act of laughing

smile (n.) – A facial expression showing happiness

🌱 Derivatives

tearful (adj.) – Filled with tears; crying or about to cry

teary (adj.) – Wet with tears; tending to cry

tearless (adj.) – Without tears; not crying

📖 Cultural Story

Etymology: Noun from Proto-Germanic *tahrą; verb from *teraną. In Shakespeare, 'tear' often symbolizes emotional turmoil or destruction.

Meaning 2：rip apart (tear)

tear 🔊

/tɪər/; /tɛər/

n.; v.

To pull something made of thin material like paper or cloth apart into pieces, often quickly and with force.

rip apart 🔊

➕

/rɪp əˈpɑːrt/

n.; v.

To forcibly separate or pull into pieces, especially paper or cloth.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

He was so excited to open his birthday gift that he accidentally tore the wrapping paper in his hurry. 🔊 He was so excited to open his birthday gift that he accidentally tore the wrapping paper in his hurry.

🔗 Collocations

tear up – to rip into small pieces, often deliberately

tear off – to remove by pulling sharply

tear apart – to separate forcefully into parts

🔄 Synonyms

rip (v.) – To tear or pull apart quickly and violently

split (v.) – To break or cause to break apart

shred (v.) – To tear or cut into narrow strips

🚫 Antonyms

mend (v.) – To repair something broken or torn

repair (v.) – To restore something damaged to good condition

attach (v.) – To fasten or join one thing to another

🌱 Derivatives

torn (adj.) – Pulled apart or damaged by tearing

tearable (adj.) – Able to be torn easily

tearer (n.) – One who tears something