Rending

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Rend \Rend\ (r[e^]nd), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Rent} (r[e^]nt); p.
     pr. & vb. n. {Rending}.] [AS. rendan, hrendan; cf. OFries.
     renda, randa, Fries. renne to cut, rend, Icel. hrinda to
     push, thrust, AS. hrindan; or cf. Icel. r[ae]na to rob,
     plunder, Ir. rannaim to divide, share, part, W. rhanu, Armor.
     ranna.]


     1. To separate into parts with force or sudden violence; to
        tear asunder; to split; to burst; as, powder rends a rock
        in blasting; lightning rends an oak.
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              The dreadful thunder
              Doth rend the region.                 --Shak.
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     2. To part or tear off forcibly; to take away by force.
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              An empire from its old foundations rent. --Dryden.
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              I will surely rend the kingdom from thee. --1 Kings
                                                    xi. 11.
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     {To rap and rend}. See under {Rap}, v. t., to snatch.
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     Syn: To tear; burst; break; rupture; lacerate; fracture;
          crack; split.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  rending
       adj : resembling a sound of violent tearing as of something ripped
             apart or lightning splitting a tree; "the tree split
             with a great ripping sound"; "heard a rending roar as
             the crowd surged forward" [syn: {ripping}, {splitting}]