rend

rend

verb \ˈrend\

rent \ˈrent\ also rend·ed \ˈren-dəd\ rend·ing

Definition of REND

transitive verb

1

: to remove from place by violence : wrest

2

: to split or tear apart or in pieces by violence

3

: to tear (the hair or clothing) as a sign of anger, grief, or despair

4

a : to lacerate mentally or emotionally

b : to pierce with sound

c : to divide (as a nation) into contesting factions

intransitive verb

1

: to perform an act of tearing or splitting

2

: to become torn or split

Examples of REND

1. They rent the cloth to shreds.
2. mourners rending their clothes in grief

Origin of REND

Middle English, from Old English rendan; akin to OldFrisian renda to tear and perhaps to Sanskrit randhra hole

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to REND

Synonyms

tear, ribbon, rip, rive, shred, tatter

Related Words

break, cleave, rupture, split; cut, gash, incise, lacerate, slash; butcher, dismember, dissect, hack, mangle

See Synonym Discussion at tear

Rhymes with REND

bend, blend, blende, end, fend, friend, lend, mend, scend, send, shend, spend, tend, trend, vend, wend, Wend