tear up
verbalso spelled tear-upUS /ˈtɛəɹ ˈʌp/ · UK /ˈtɛəɹ ˈʌp/
Etymology See: tear (“to rip, shred”).
7 senses
1
To tear into pieces.
- The student tore up his test after he found out his mark of 20%.
2
Figuratively To cancel or annul, or to cause the cancellation or annulment of (e.g. an agreement or contract).
- I finally persuaded the landlord to tear up the lease and move to a month-by-month rental.
3
Idiomatic To damage.
- The lacrosse practice really tore up the field.
- You talk about the same thing but from different points of view. He is saying, "Didn't hurt the car much." You're saying "He's tearing up the car and we're having to make payments on it."1994, Virginia Satir, James Stachowiak, Harvey A. Taschman, Helping Families to Change, →ISBN, page 243:
1 more example
- We were making a joke about him not tearing it up; because the first person that puts a dent in it is going to get in trouble.2012, Scotty Rae Hettinger, 5/22: Stories of Survival, Stories of Faith, →ISBN, page 231:
4
Idiomatic To succeed dramatically in (an area of endeavor) or against.
- In his first year, his hitting tore up the league's opposing pitchers.
- Taking advantage of her haughty obliviousness—Faris is every bit Margaret Dumont to Baron Cohen’s Groucho—Aladeen conspires to seize power back and tear up the new constitution before it’s too late.2012 May 15, Scott Tobias, “Film: Reviews: The Dictator”, in The Onion AV Club:
5
To wrench out of the ground.
- We tore up the weeds from the allotment.
- There was another incline on this section, but it has not been in use for very many years, and some of the rails are torn up, and the rest very overgrown.1941 October, “Notes and News: The Lee Moor Tramway”, in Railway Magazine, page 470:
7
Slang To brutally assault.
- Jason tore up Todd after finding out that he was having sex with his sister.
- Derived terms
- tear up the dance floor, tear up the pea patch
- Related terms
- tear it up