From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Rend \Rend\ (r[e^]nd), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Rent} (r[e^]nt); p.
pr. & vb. n. {Rending}.] [AS. rendan, hrendan; cf. OFries.
renda, randa, Fries. renne to cut, rend, Icel. hrinda to
push, thrust, AS. hrindan; or cf. Icel. r[ae]na to rob,
plunder, Ir. rannaim to divide, share, part, W. rhanu, Armor.
ranna.]
1. To separate into parts with force or sudden violence; to
tear asunder; to split; to burst; as, powder rends a rock
in blasting; lightning rends an oak.
[1913 Webster]
The dreadful thunder
Doth rend the region. --Shak.
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2. To part or tear off forcibly; to take away by force.
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An empire from its old foundations rent. --Dryden.
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I will surely rend the kingdom from thee. --1 Kings
xi. 11.
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{To rap and rend}. See under {Rap}, v. t., to snatch.
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Syn: To tear; burst; break; rupture; lacerate; fracture;
crack; split.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
rending
adj 1: resembling a sound of violent tearing as of something
ripped apart or lightning splitting a tree; "the tree
split with a great ripping sound"; "heard a rending roar
as the crowd surged forward" [syn: {rending}, {ripping},
{splitting}]
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