Tear
/tɪr/
nounverbB1
Definition
As a noun, a tear is a small drop of clear liquid that comes from your eyes when you are sad, happy, or your eyes feel dry or hurt. As a verb, to tear means to pull something so hard that it breaks or gets a hole. It can also mean to move very fast or suddenly.
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See It in Action
Noun: A drop of liquid from the eye
- •She wiped a tear from her cheek.
- •Tears ran down his face after the sad movie.
- •The baby’s tears showed she was uncomfortable.
Verb: To pull something apart or make a hole by pulling
- •Be careful not to tear your shirt on the fence.
- •He tore the paper into small pieces.
- •The wind tore the flag from the pole.
Verb: To move very fast or suddenly
- •The car tore down the highway.
- •She tore through the finish line in the race.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "tear" like "cry" (A1 word) when it means the liquid from your eye, but "tear" is just the small drops, not the whole act of crying.
- ✓Picture a small drop of water slowly falling from your eye when you feel sad or happy.
- ✓It's the feeling when you are so emotional that your eyes start to water.
- ✓Sounds like "tear" (rhymes with "ear") → imagine a tear drop falling near your ear, making a soft sound like a tiny splash.
- ✓Think of a paper or cloth ripping apart when you pull it hard—that is to tear it.
- ✓NOT like "cut" (which uses scissors or a knife), "tear" means pulling something apart with your hands or force.
- ✓NOT like "break" (which is usually for hard objects), "tear" is for soft things like paper, cloth, or skin.
- ✓When used as a verb for moving fast ("tear down the road"), it means moving quickly and strongly.
Try Other Words
- •Rip: to pull apart roughly (Use when the action is strong and loud)
- •Break: to separate into pieces (Use for hard objects, not soft things like paper)
- •Cry: to produce tears because of emotion (Use when focusing on the act of crying, not just the tear itself)
- •Dash: to move quickly (Use when describing fast movement, instead of "tear" as verb for moving fast)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: single root word "tear"
- •Etymology: From Old English "teran," meaning to pull apart or rend
- •Historical development: Used since early English to describe both the liquid from the eye and the action of pulling apart
- •Modern usage: Commonly used both as noun and verb in everyday English, with emotional and physical meanings
- •Interesting fact: The same spelling and pronunciation serve two very different meanings, so context is important
Reflect & Connect
•How can the meaning of "tear" change depending on whether it is a noun or a verb in a sentence?
•Can you think of a time when you felt a tear in your clothing or a tear in your feelings? How did you react?
Fill in the blanks
1.When she was sad, a tear ___ slowly down her cheek.
2.Be careful not to ___ your book when turning the pages quickly.
3.The child’s tear showed ___ she was hurt or scared.
4.The strong wind made the flag ___ from the pole and fly away.
5.The athlete tore ___ the field during the final moments of the game.
6.Unlike "cut," to tear means to ___ something by pulling it apart with your hands.
7.Tears often come when people feel ___ or very emotional.