déchirer

Inherited from Middle French deschirer, from Old French descirer, from de- + escirer, from Frankish *skeran (“to shear, cut”), from Proto-Germanic *skeraną (“to shear, shave, cut”). Cognate with Old English scieran (“to cut”). More at shear.

• IPA^(key): /de.ʃi.ʁe/

• Audio:

  (file)

déchirer

1. (transitive, literally, figuratively) to tear; to rip up

   déchirer une lettre ― to rip up a letter

   Ma robe s’est déchirée. ― My dress got torn.

   L’Église était déchirée par un schisme. ― The Church was torn by a schism.

   Un cri strident déchira la nuit. ― A shrill cry tore through the night.

2. (transitive, figurative) to tear up emotionally
3. (intransitive, slang) to kick arse, to kick ass, to kick butt, to rock, to rule

   Synonyms: assurer, gérer

• “déchirer”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.