WordLens

rip

1 of 2verb
/rɪp/
Forms:rips,ripping,ripped,ripped
1

to tear, cut, or open something forcefully and quickly

C1transitive
  • She accidentally ripped her favorite shirt on a sharp nail sticking out from the fence.
  • With a single tug, he managed to rip the letter into shreds out of anger.
  • The aggressive player accidentally ripped the opponent's jersey during the match.
  • The fierce gusts of wind threatened to rip the tent from its stakes during the camping trip.
Synonyms:
2

to cut wood lengthwise, following the direction of the grain

transitive
  • The carpenter used a table saw to rip the boards into narrower strips for the flooring project.
  • She carefully measured and marked the plywood before ripping it into sections for the shelving unit.
  • The furniture maker ripped the rough lumber into thinner planks to create the tabletop.
  • She used a hand saw to rip the cedar planks for the siding of the outdoor shed.
  • The homeowner hired a contractor to rip the old deck boards and replace them with new ones.
3

to move with great speed and force, causing destruction or damage in the process

  • The tornado ripped through the town, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
  • The hurricane ripped across the coastline, uprooting trees and demolishing buildings.
  • The wildfire ripped through the forest, consuming everything in its path.
  • The car lost control on the icy road and ripped through the guardrail, plunging into the ravine below.
  • The floodwaters ripped through the low-lying areas, sweeping away houses and vehicles.
4

to sharply criticize or condemn someone or something

transitive
  • The film critic ripped the director's latest movie, calling it a shallow and poorly executed film.
  • She ripped her colleague's presentation, pointing out numerous flaws in the research and argumentation.
  • The music critic ripped the pop star's latest album, labeling it as formulaic and uninspired.
  • She ripped the fashion designer's new collection, deeming it unoriginal and outdated.
  • The restaurant reviewer ripped the upscale eatery for its exorbitant prices and mediocre cuisine.
5

to take something dishonestly or unlawfully

transitive
  • The burglars ripped the valuable artwork from the museum in the dead of night.
  • The pickpocket deftly ripped the tourist's phone from his pocket without him noticing.
  • The thieves ripped the copper wiring from the abandoned building to sell it for scrap metal.
  • She warned her friend not to leave her purse unattended, as someone might try to rip it.
Synonyms:
6

to extract audio or video content from a physical medium, such as a CD or DVD and convert it into a digital format for storage or playback

transitive
  • He used a specialized software to rip the tracks from his CD collection onto his computer.
  • She decided to rip her favorite movies from DVD to MP4 files for easier viewing on her tablet.
  • The audiophile prefers to rip his vinyl records to FLAC format for high-quality digital playback.
  • They spent the weekend ripping their entire DVD collection to their external hard drive to save space.
  • They ripped the audio commentary track from the DVD and synced it with the movie file.