Tear apart
1.
Upset or make distraught, as in The parents’ divorce tore apart the grandparents. [ Second half of 1800s ]
2.
Criticize severely, as in The professor tore her paper apart. [ Mid-1900s ]
3.
Search some place completely, as in The police tore the house apart. [ Second half of 1900s ]
4.
Separate, especially unwillingly, as in The war tore many families apart.
Read Also:
- Tear around
Move about in excited or angry haste, as in He tore around the house, looking for the dog. [ Second half of 1700s ]
- Tear-at
verb (used with object), tore or (Archaic) tare, torn or (Archaic) tare, tearing. 1. to pull apart or in pieces by force, especially so as to leave ragged or irregular edges. Synonyms: rend, rip, rive. Antonyms: mend, repair, sew. 2. to pull or snatch violently; wrench away with force: to tear wrappings from a package; […]
- Tearaway
adjective 1. designed to be easily separated or opened by tearing: a box with a tearaway seal. noun 2. British. a wild, reckless person.
- Tear-bomb
noun 1. a bomb or grenade containing tear gas.
- Teardown
noun 1. a taking apart; disassembly. 2. a house or other building that is purchased with the intention of tearing it down and replacing it with another, more expensive structure.