Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.

Source : WordNet®

tearing
     adj : marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions;
           inclined to react violently; fervid; "fierce loyalty";
           "in a tearing rage"; "vehement dislike"; "violent
           passions" [syn: {fierce}, {vehement}, {violent}, {trigger-happy}]

tearing
     n : shedding tears [syn: {lacrimation}, {lachrymation}, {watering}]