n. [ AS. teár; akin to G. zärhe, OHG. zahar, OFries. & Icel. tār, Sw. tår, Dan. taare, Goth. tagr, OIr. dēr, W. dagr, OW. dacr, L. lacrima, lacruma, for older dacruma, Gr. da`kry, da`kryon, da`kryma. √59. Cf. Lachrymose. ] 1. (Physiol.) A drop of the limpid, saline fluid secreted, normally in small amount, by the lachrymal gland, and diffused between the eye and the eyelids to moisten the parts and facilitate their motion. Ordinarily the secretion passes through the lachrymal duct into the nose, but when it is increased by emotion or other causes, it overflows the lids. [ 1913 Webster ]

And yet for thee ne wept she never a tear. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Something in the form of a transparent drop of fluid matter; also, a solid, transparent, tear-shaped drop, as of some balsams or resins. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let Araby extol her happy coast,
Her fragrant flowers, her trees with precious tears. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which causes or accompanies tears; a lament; a dirge. [ R. ] “Some melodous tear.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Glass Manuf.) A partially vitrified bit of clay in glass. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

☞ Tear is sometimes used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, tear-distilling, tear-drop, tear-filled, tear-stained, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tears of St. Lawrence, the Perseid shower of meteors, seen every year on or about the eve of St. Lawrence, August 9th. --
Tears of wine, drops which form and roll down a glass above the surface of strong wine. The phenomenon is due to the evaporation of alcohol from the surface layer, which, becoming more watery, increases in surface tension and creeps up the sides until its weight causes it to break. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. [ imp. Tore ((Obs. Tare) p. p. Torn p. pr. & vb. n. Tearing. ] [ OE. teren, AS. teran; akin to OS. farterian to destroy, D. teren to consume, G. zerren to pull, to tear, zehren to consume, Icel. t>ae/ra, Goth. gataíran to destroy, Lith. dirti to flay, Russ. drate to pull, to tear, Gr. de`rein to flay, Skr. dar to burst. √63. Cf. Darn, Epidermis, Tarre, Tirade. ] 1. To separate by violence; to pull apart by force; to rend; to lacerate; as, to tear cloth; to tear a garment; to tear the skin or flesh. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tear him to pieces; he's a conspirator. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, to divide by violent measures; to disrupt; to rend; as, a party or government torn by factions. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To rend away; to force away; to remove by force; to sunder; as, a child torn from its home. [ 1913 Webster ]

The hand of fate
Hath torn thee from me. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To pull with violence; as, to tear the hair. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To move violently; to agitate. “Once I loved torn ocean's roar.” Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

To tear a cat, to rant violently; to rave; -- especially applied to theatrical ranting. [ Obs. ] Shak. --
To tear down, to demolish violently; to pull or pluck down. --
To tear off, to pull off by violence; to strip. --
To tear out, to pull or draw out by violence; as, to tear out the eyes. --
To tear up, to rip up; to remove from a fixed state by violence; as, to tear up a floor; to tear up the foundation of government or order. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To divide or separate on being pulled; to be rent; as, this cloth tears easily. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To move and act with turbulent violence; to rush with violence; hence, to rage; to rave. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of tearing, or the state of being torn; a rent; a fissure. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wear and tear. See under Wear, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who tears or rends anything; also, one who rages or raves with violence. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Shedding tears; tender. [ Poetic ] “Tear-falling pity.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Abounding with tears; weeping; shedding tears; as, tearful eyes. -- Tear"ful*ly, adv. -- Tear"ful*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Shedding no tears; free from tears; unfeeling. -- Tear"less*ly, adv. -- Tear"less*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Anat.) A cavity or pouch beneath the lower eyelid of most deer and antelope; the lachrymal sinus; larmier. It is capable of being opened at pleasure and secretes a waxy substance. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A name given to several species of plants of the genus Polygonum, having angular stems beset with minute reflexed prickles. [ 1913 Webster ]