torn
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
torn
(tôrn)v.
Past participle of tear1.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
torn
(tɔːn)vb
1. the past participle of tear12
2. that's torn it slang Brit an unexpected event or circumstance has upset one's plans
adj
3. split or cut
4. divided or undecided, as in preference: he was torn between staying and leaving.
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
tear1
(tɪər)n.
1. a drop of the saline, watery fluid continually secreted by the lacrimal glands between the surface of the eye and the eyelid.
2. a drop of this fluid appearing in or flowing from the eye as the result of emotion, esp. grief.
3. something resembling a tear, as a drop of a liquid or a tearlike mass of a solid substance.
4. tears,
v.i. a. grief; sorrow.
b. an act of weeping: bored to tears.
5. (of the eyes) to fill up and overflow with tears.
Idioms: in tears, weeping.
[before 900; (n.) Middle English teer, Old English tēar, tæher]
tear2
(tɛər)v. tore, torn, tear•ing,
n. v.t.
1. to pull apart or in pieces by force; rend.
2. to pull or snatch violently; wrench away with force: to tear a book from someone's hands.
3. to divide or disrupt: a country torn by civil war.
4. to produce by rending: to tear a hole in one's coat.
5. to wound or injure by or as if by rending; lacerate: grief that tears the heart.
6. to remove by force or effort (often fol. by away): It was such an exciting lecture, I couldn't tear myself away.
v.i. 7. to become torn: The fabric tears easily.
8. to move or behave with force, violent haste, or energy: The wind tore through the trees; cars tearing up and down the highway.
9. tear at,
a. to pluck violently at.
b. to distress; afflict.
10. tear down,
a. to pull down; demolish.
b. to disparage or discredit.
11. tear into, to attack impulsively or viciously.
12. tear up,
n. a. to tear into small shreds.
b. to cancel or annul: to tear up a contract.
13. the act of tearing.
14. a rent or fissure.
15. a rage or passionate outburst.
16. Informal. a spree.
Idioms: tear it, Slang. to ruin all chances for a successful outcome.
[before 900; Middle English teren (v.), Old English teran, c. Old Frisian tera, Old Saxon terian, Old High German zeran, Greek dérein to flay]
tear′er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Adj. | 1. |  torn - having edges that are jagged from injuryinjured - harmed; "injured soldiers"; "injured feelings" |
| 2. |  torn - disrupted by the pull of contrary forces; "torn between love and hate"; "torn by conflicting loyalties"; "torn by religious dissensions"divided - separated into parts or pieces; "opinions are divided" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
torn
adjective
2. undecided, divided, uncertain, split, unsure, wavering, vacillating, in two minds (informal), irresolute I know the administration was very torn on this subject.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
torn
pp de tearEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.