tear up

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Word: Tear Up

Part of Speech: Verb

Basic Definition: "Tear up" means to rip something into pieces or shreds. It often refers to paper or other materials that can be easily torn.

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "tear up" when talking about physically ripping something apart.
• It can also be used in a more emotional context, where someone becomes very emotional or starts to cry.

Examples:

1. Physical Meaning:

   • "I accidentally tore up the letter my friend sent me."
   • "He was so angry that he tore up the contract."

2. Emotional Meaning:

   • "She started to tear up when she watched the sad movie."
   • "He teared up when he heard the good news about his family."

Advanced Usage:

• In a more figurative sense, "tear up" can describe the act of getting very emotional or crying, especially in situations that are happy, sad, or nostalgic.

Word Variants:

• Tear (verb): The action of ripping something.
• Tear (noun): A drop of liquid that comes from the eye when someone is sad or emotional.

Different Meanings:

• The phrase "tear up" can have different meanings based on context:
  • To rip something apart: This is the most common meaning.
  • To become emotional or cry: Often used in contexts involving feelings or sentiments.

Synonyms:

• For the physical meaning: rip, shred, mutilate, demolish.
• For the emotional meaning: cry, weep, get emotional.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• "Tear someone apart": This means to criticize someone very harshly or to cause them emotional pain.
• "Tear down": This means to destroy a building or to criticize something strongly.

Summary:

"Tear up" is a versatile verb that can refer to both the physical act of ripping something into pieces and the emotional act of getting teary-eyed.

Academic

Verb

1. tear into shreds

Synonyms

• shred
• rip up