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| Date: | 1300-1400 |
| Origin: | Probably from Flemish rippen 'to tear off roughly' |
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Related topics: Computersrip1
past tense and past participle ripped, present participle ripping
past tense and past participle ripped, present participle ripping1
[intransitive and transitive] to tear something or be torn quickly and violently : 
Her clothes had all been ripped.The sails ripped under the force of the wind.
[intransitive and transitive]Her clothes had all been ripped.The sails ripped under the force of the wind.2 [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to remove something quickly and violently, using your hands
rip something out/off/away/down Gilly ripped out a sheet of paper from her notebook. The buttons had been ripped off.
Gilly ripped out a sheet of paper from her notebook.The buttons had been ripped off.3
rip something/somebody to shreds
a) to destroy something or damage it badly by tearing it in many places : Jill's kitten is ripping her sofa to shreds.
Jill's kitten is ripping her sofa to shreds.b) informal to strongly criticize someone, or criticize their opinions, remarks, behaviour etc : I expected to have my argument ripped to shreds.
I expected to have my argument ripped to shreds.4 to speak or behave violently or emotionally : Fran took a slow deep breath, then let rip, yelling and shouting at him.
let rip
informalFran took a slow deep breath, then let rip, yelling and shouting at him.5 to make a car, boat etc go as fast as it can : Put your foot on the gas and let her rip!
let it/her rip
informalPut your foot on the gas and let her rip!rip something ↔ apart
phrasal verbHe was ripped apart by savage beasts in the forest.rip somebody/something ↔ off
phrasal verb1BBT to charge someone too much money for something [= overcharge]: The agency really ripped us off.
The agency really ripped us off.2SCC to steal something : Somebody had come in and ripped off the TV and stereo.
Somebody had come in and ripped off the TV and stereo.3 to take words, ideas etc from someone else's work and use them in your own work as if they were your own ideas [= plagiarize]
rip through something
phrasal verbA wave of bombings ripped through the capital's business district.rip something ↔ up
phrasal verbSue ripped his photo up into tiny bits.
