Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Tear \Tear\, n. (Glass Manuf.)
   A partially vitrified bit of clay in glass.

   {Tears of St. Lawrence}, the Perseid shower of meteors, seen
      every year on or about the eve of St. Lawrence, August
      9th.

   {T. 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.

Tear \Tear\ (t[=e]r), n. [AS. te['a]r; akin to G. z["a]rhe, OHG.
   zahar, OFries. & Icel. t[=a]r, Sw. t[*a]r, Dan. taare, Goth.
   tagr, OIr. d[=e]r, W. dagr, OW. dacr, L. lacrima, lacruma,
   for older dacruma, Gr. da`kry, da`kryon, da`kryma. [root]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.

            And yet for thee ne wept she never a tear.
                                                  --Chaucer.

   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.

            Let Araby extol her happy coast, Her fragrant
            flowers, her trees with precious tears. --Dryden.

   3. That which causes or accompanies tears; a lament; a dirge.
      [R.] ``Some melodous tear.'' --Milton.

   Note: Tear is sometimes used in the formation of
         self-explaining compounds; as, tear-distilling,
         tear-drop, tear-filled, tear-stained, and the like.

Tear \Tear\, v. i.
   1. To divide or separate on being pulled; to be rent; as,
      this cloth tears easily.

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

Tear \Tear\ (t[^a]r), v. t. [imp. {Tore} (t[=o]r), ((Obs.
   {Tare}) (t[^a]r); p. p. {Torn} (t[=o]rn); 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. gata['i]ran to
   destroy, Lith. dirti to flay, Russ. drate to pull, to tear,
   Gr. de`rein to flay, Skr. dar to burst. [root]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.

            Tear him to pieces; he's a conspirator. --Shak.

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

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

            The hand of fate Hath torn thee from me. --Addison.

   4. To pull with violence; as, to tear the hair.

   5. To move violently; to agitate. ``Once I loved torn ocean's
      roar.'' --Byron.

   {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.

Tear \Tear\, n.
   The act of tearing, or the state of being torn; a rent; a
   fissure. --Macaulay.

   {Wear and tear}. See under {Wear}, n.

Source : WordNet®

tear
     n 1: a drop of the clear salty saline solution secreted by the
          lacrimal glands; "his story brought tears to her eyes"
          [syn: {teardrop}]
     2: an opening made forcibly as by pulling apart; "there was a
        rip in his pants"; "she had snags in her stockings" [syn:
        {rip}, {rent}, {snag}, {split}]
     3: an occasion for excessive eating or drinking; "they went on
        a bust that lasted three days" [syn: {bust}, {binge}, {bout}]
     4: the act of tearing; "he took the manuscript in both hands
        and gave it a mighty tear"
     [also: {torn}, {tore}]

tear
     v 1: separate or cause to separate abruptly; "The rope snapped";
          "tear the paper" [syn: {rupture}, {snap}, {bust}]
     2: to separate or be separated by force; "planks were in danger
        of being torn from the crossbars"
     3: move quickly and violently; "The car tore down the street";
        "He came charging into my office" [syn: {shoot}, {shoot
        down}, {charge}, {buck}]
     4: strip of feathers; "pull a chicken"; "pluck the capon" [syn:
         {pluck}, {pull}, {deplume}, {deplumate}, {displume}]
     5: fill with tears or shed tears; "Her eyes were tearing"
     [also: {torn}, {tore}]