tear

You can use "tear" as a verb or as a noun. To "tear" something is to damage it by ripping with one’s hands. You can also use "tear" when removing paper from a notebook or checkbook:

• You have to tear your assignment from your notebook and give it to the teacher.
• Yolanda tore a check out of her checkbook and gave it to the salesclerk.
• I tore my jacket on something. Now it has a big hole in the sleeve.
• My jacket was torn while I was walking through the woods.
• He was so mad at the people who fixed his car that he tore up the bill:

You can also use "tear" as a noun:

• I have a tear in my jacket.
• There’s a tear in this dollar bill.
• This picture has a large tear through the middle of it:

It’s worth noting that we use the same spelling for the word "tear."

• There were a lot of tears at the going-away party.
• A small tear rolled down her cheek when she thought about her mother.
• People produce tears when they cry.

  a tear  

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November 4, 2011