(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."
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."
3.
That which causes or accompanies tears; a lament; a dirge. (R.) "Some melodous tear."
4.
(Glass Manuf.) A partially vitrified bit of clay in glass. Note: Tear is sometimes used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, tear-distilling, tear-drop, tear-filled, tear-stained, and the like.
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.
Tear n. The act of tearing, or the state of being torn; a rent; a fissure.
Tear v. t. (past tore, obs. tare; past part. torn; pres. part. tearing)
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."
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."
4.
To pull with violence; as, to tear the hair.
5.
To move violently; to agitate. "Once I loved torn ocean's roar."
To tear a cat, to rant violently; to rave; especially applied to theatrical ranting. (Obs.)
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 v. i. (past tore, obs. tare; past part. torn; pres. part. tearing)
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.
... to give. As such recollections wake up from their cells, they will but cast a soft shade over the past; and it may be the thought of thy withered blossoms, once so fondly loved, brings a gentle tear down thy cheek. Enough of this: we will not go on to pierce our hearts with a thousand separate arrows, but content ourselves with saying, that so it happened in ... — Famous Stories Every Child Should Know • Various Read full book for free!
... "The land is worth really less than fifteen. Nobody but such a—such a friend as Mr. Newsome would have loaned Uncle Tucker so much. He—he has been very kind to us. I—I am very grateful to him and I—" Rose Mary faltered and dropped her eyes. A tear trembled on the edge of her black lashes and then splashed on to the chubby cheek ... — Rose of Old Harpeth • Maria Thompson Daviess Read full book for free!
... bless him!" exclaimed the seaman, brushing away a tear from his eye. "But where is he now? Can you tell ... — My First Voyage to Southern Seas • W.H.G. Kingston Read full book for free!
... control, dragging his men about the bushes. On reaching the scene, the men, in great strength, were about to attempt a more strenuous effort to drag the balloon back against the wind, which Coxwell promptly forbade, warning them that so they would tear all to pieces. He then commenced, as it were, to "take in a reef," by gathering in the slack of the silk, which chiefly was catching the wind, and by drawing in the net, mesh by mesh, until the more ... — The Dominion of the Air • J. M. Bacon Read full book for free!
... telegraph office. On his way he caught sight of a Confederate flag floating from the summit of the Marshall House. He had often seen, from the window of the Executive Mansion in Washington, this self-same banner flaunting defiance; and the temptation to tear it down with his own hands was too much for his boyish patriotism. Accompanied by four soldiers only and several civilians, he ran into the hotel, up the stairs to the roof, and tore down the flag; but coming down was met on the stairs by the hotel-keeper and shot dead. His assassin perished ... — McClure's Magazine, March, 1896, Vol. VI., No. 4. • Various Read full book for free!
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