See Also: tear 3, noun(dictionary)
tear 1, noun(dictionary)
tear gas(medicine)
tear gas(dictionary)
tear gas(encyclopedia)
tear(5)(dictionary)
tear(4)(dictionary)
tear(3)(dictionary)
tear(2)(dictionary)
tear(1)(dictionary)

tear 1, noun (oh)



[C usually plural] a drop of salty liquid that comes out of your eye when you are crying
::The children were all in tears .
::She came home in floods of tears .
::I could see that Sam was close to tears .
::Bridget suddenly burst into tears and ran out.
::He was fighting back tears as he spoke.
::A lot of people were moved to tears by his story.
::He kissed her cheek, a gesture that brought tears to her eyes .
::I must admit I shed a few tears when the school closed.
::I saw grown men reduced to tears that day.
::'Please don't talk like that,' Ellen implored him, her eyes filling with tears .
::By this time, tears were streaming down my face.
::The tears he shed were tears of joy .
it'll (all) end in tears
BrE spoken used to warn someone that something they are doing will cause problems or arguments between people
-see also bore sb to tears at bore 2 (1)
-see also crocodile tears at crocodile (4)
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COLLOCATES for sense 1
in tears (=crying)
in floods of tears British English (=crying a lot)
close to tears/on the verge of tears (=almost crying)
burst into tears (=suddenly start crying)
fight back (the) tears also choke back tears (=try not to cry)
moved to tears (=so upset that you cry)
bring tears to somebody's eyes (=make someone cry)
shed tears/a tear (=cry)
reduce somebody to tears (=make someone cry)
somebody's eyes fill with tears
tears well up in your eyes (=you start to cry)
tears roll/run/stream down somebody's face/cheeks
tears of joy/rage/frustration etc (=crying because you are happy, angry etc)