rend
UK: rɛnd | US: rɛnd
vt. to tear or split apart violently
vt. to remove or separate forcibly
vt. (archaic) to wrench or twist violently
The word "rend" traces back to Old English rendan, meaning "to tear, cut, or split apart." It shares roots with Old Norse rinda ("to break") and is part of the Germanic verb family denoting violent separation. The word has retained its core meaning of forceful tearing, though its usage has narrowed over time. Unlike many modern English verbs, "rend" remains morphologically simple, with no separable prefixes or suffixes.
The explosion rent the building in two.
She rent her clothes in grief.
The wolf's claws rent the flesh of its prey.
A loud scream rent the silence of the night.
(Archaic) He rent the sword from his enemy's grasp.