rend

Verb

WordNet 3.0

Verb (1)

tear or be torn violently“The curtain ripped from top to bottom”“pull the cooked chicken into strips”Synonyms: rip rive pull

Webster's Dictionary (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.[1913 Webster]

2.To part or tear off forcibly; to take away by force. [1913 Webster]

An empire from its old foundations rent.— Dryden.[1913 Webster]

I will surely rend the kingdom from thee.— 1 Kings xi. 11.[1913 Webster]

To rap and rend. See under Rap, v. t., to snatch. [1913 Webster]

Syn: To tear; burst; break; rupture; lacerate; fracture; crack; split. [1913 Webster]

Rend \Rend\, v. i. To be rent or torn; to become parted; to separate; to split. --Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster]