Rend

//ɹɛnd// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A violent separation of parts.

    "She'd been in a couple of minor car accidents herself, and witnessed a few others, and the rend of metal was unforgettable."

Verb
  1. 1
    To separate into parts with force or sudden violence; to split; to burst. transitive

    "Powder rends a rock in blasting."

  2. 2
    tear or be torn violently wordnet
  3. 3
    To violently disturb the peace of; to throw into chaos. figuratively, transitive

    "a scream that rent the air"

  4. 4
    To part or tear off forcibly; to take away by force; to amputate. transitive

    "And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven."

  5. 5
    To be rent or torn; to become parted; to separate; to split. intransitive

    "Relationships may rend if tempers flare."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English renden, from Old English rendan (“to rend, tear, cut, lacerate, cut down”), from Proto-West Germanic *(h)randijan (“to tear”), of uncertain origin. Believed by some to be the causative of Proto-Germanic *hrindaną (“to push”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱret-, *kret- (“to hit, beat”), which would make it related to Old English hrindan (“to thrust, push”). Cognate with Scots rent (“to rend, tear”), Old Frisian renda (“to tear”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English renden, from Old English rendan (“to rend, tear, cut, lacerate, cut down”), from Proto-West Germanic *(h)randijan (“to tear”), of uncertain origin. Believed by some to be the causative of Proto-Germanic *hrindaną (“to push”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱret-, *kret- (“to hit, beat”), which would make it related to Old English hrindan (“to thrust, push”). Cognate with Scots rent (“to rend, tear”), Old Frisian renda (“to tear”).

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