déchirer

tear, rip

verb day-shee-RAY Less Common

Usage Note

Déchirer means to tear something apart physically, but se déchirer (reflexive) is also used figuratively for a muscle tear (se déchirer un muscle) or for heartbreak. The adjective déchirant means 'heart-rending', a common extension worth noting.

Examples

"Il a déchiré la lettre en morceaux."

Natural Translation

He tore the letter into pieces.

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