tearing up

Verb

tear up (third-person singular simple present tears up, present participle tearing up, simple past tore up, past participle torn up)

1. (transitive) To tear into pieces.
   • The student tore up his test after he found out his mark of 20%.
2. (figuratively, transitive) 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, transitive) To damage.
   • The lacrosse practice really tore up the field.
4. (idiomatic, transitive) To succeed dramatically in (an area of endeavor) or against.
   • In his first year, his hitting tore up the league's opposing pitchers.
5. (transitive) To wrench out of the ground.
   • We tore up the weeds from the allotment.
6. (slang, transitive, vulgar) To have intense penetrative sex with.
   • Chad tore up Stacy after that party.

See all 8 meanings of tear up