rip

[[t]rɪ̱p[/t]]

rips, ripping, ripped

1) V-ERG When something rips or when you rip it, you tear it forcefully with your hands or with a tool such as a knife.

I felt the banner rip as we were pushed in opposite directions...

[V n] I tried not to rip the paper as I unwrapped it.

Syn:

tear

2) N-COUNT A rip is a long cut or split in something made of cloth or paper.

Looking at the rip in her new dress, she flew into a rage.

Syn:

tear

3) VERB If you rip something away, you remove it quickly and forcefully.

[V n with adv] He ripped away a wire that led to the alarm button...

[V n with adv] She ripped off her dress and let it fall to the floor...

[V n prep] He ripped the phone from her hand.

Syn:

tear

4) VERB If something rips into someone or something or rips through them, it enters that person or thing so quickly and forcefully that it often goes completely through them.

[V prep/adv] A volley of bullets ripped into the facing wall...

[V prep/adv] Their minibus was ripped apart by a bomb...

[V prep/adv] The fire ripped through the living room...

[V prep/adv] A violent streak of pain ripped through her whole body.

Syn:

tear

5) PHRASE: let inflects If you let rip, you do something forcefully and without trying to control yourself. [INFORMAL]

Turn the guitars up full and let rip...

`Yaaaaaaa,' Carla let rip with the cry of the Valkyries.

6) PHRASE: let inflects If you let something rip, you do it as quickly or as forcefully as possible. You can say `let it rip' or `let her rip' to someone when you want them to make a vehicle go as fast as it possibly can.

The ecological disaster is partly a product of letting everything rip in order to increase production.

Phrasal Verbs:

- rip apart

- rip into

- rip off

- rip up