tear-off

[ tair-awf, -of ]

adjective

1. designed to be easily removed by tearing, usually along a perforated line:

   a sales letter with a tear-off order blank.

tear off

/ tɛə /

verb

1. tr to separate by tearing
2. intr, adverb to rush away; hurry
3. tr, adverb to produce in a hurry; do quickly and carelessly

   to tear off a letter

4. tear someone off a strip informal.
   to reprimand or rebuke someone forcibly

adjective

1. (of paper, etc) produced in a roll or block and marked with perforations so that one section at a time can be torn off

Word History and Origins

Origin of tear-off¹

First recorded in 1885–90; adj., noun use of verb phrase tear off

Example Sentences

There was no mistaking that against the Rams, with Barkley tearing off a 70-yard touchdown run on the first play of the third quarter and a 72-yard touchdown in the fourth.

From Los Angeles Times

“His mouth tearing off the heads — look at it. He’s illustrating exactly what he’s doing to people. He’s ripping their heads off, tearing the tails off, spitting them out.”

From Los Angeles Times

Cinque Sweeting, among the XFL’s top kick returners last season, said there’s ample opportunity to tear off a big return for players who can run around or through the first line of defense.

From Los Angeles Times

One specialist, Miller recalled, was visibly upset, tearing off his gloves and angrily tossing them in the trash.

From Salon

The divers who made the video — not scientists — broke up the brawl, and the two animals survived, the octopus tearing off in a cloud of ink.

From New York Times

Related Words

• disassemble
• disengage
• disentangle
• dissociate
• isolate
• segregate
• separate
• sever