tearing

1. 1
   verb

   Present participle of tear. Use this form for an action happening right now.

   She is tearing the paper into small pieces.

   He kept tearing at the wrapping until the box came open.

   Note
2. 2
   SayTEER-ingUS/ˈtɪɹ.ɪŋ/UK/ˈtɪə.ɹɪŋ/

   noununcountable

   Constant watering of the eyes, when tears keep running down the face.

   Like a sink that keeps overflowing because the drain is blocked.

   The baby's constant tearing worried her parents.

   Cold wind often causes tearing in older adults.

   Similarwatering, lacrimation

   Note
3. 3
   noununcountable

   A rip or split made when something is pulled apart.

   Like the rip you get when you pull a sheet of paper in two.

   The tearing of the old map left two ragged halves.

   She heard a loud tearing as the seam gave way.

   Similarrupture, ripping, laceration, rip

4. 4
   noununcountable

   A screen glitch where parts of two different images show at once.

   Like a photo cut in half, with the two halves not quite lining up.

   He noticed tearing whenever the camera moved quickly in the game.

   The fast action showed ugly tearing across the middle of the screen.

   Note
5. 5
   adjectivecolloquial

   Done in a great hurry and very rushed.

   Like running so fast you almost trip over your own feet.

   He was in a tearing hurry to get to school.

   We left in such a tearing rush that we forgot the bags.

   Similarmad, desperate, frantic

   Note
6. 6
   adjectivecolloquial

   Very big or very strong, even huge.

   Like a hit movie that everyone in town wants to see.

   The show was a tearing success with the kids.

   Their party was a tearing hit all night long.

   Similarroaring, huge, enormous, tremendous

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