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tear  2 (tîr)
Share:
n.
1.
a. A drop of the clear salty liquid that is secreted by the lachrymal gland of the eye to lubricate the surface between the eyeball and eyelid and to wash away irritants.
b. tears A profusion of this liquid spilling from the eyes and wetting the cheeks, especially as an expression of emotion.
c. tears The act of weeping: criticism that left me in tears.
2. A drop of a liquid or hardened fluid.
intr.v. teared, tear·ing, tears
To become filled with tears: The strong wind caused my eyes to tear.
Phrasal Verb:
tear up
1. To have tears well in the eyes: At the funeral, the mourners began to tear up.
2. To cause to have tears well in the eyes: By the movie's end, the whole audience was teared up.
[Middle English ter, from Old English tēar; see dakru- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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