ripper

A tool or machine that tears or cuts material apart.

• Use a seam ripper to remove the stitches.
• The tractor pulled a ripper through the hard ground.
• This ripper has a sharp metal tip.

Common phrases: seam ripper, soil ripper

A murderer who uses a sharp weapon and often badly cuts victims’ bodies.

• Police hunted the ripper.
• The ripper attacked his victims with a knife.
• Another body was linked to the ripper.

Similar words: killer, murderer

Common phrases: serial ripper, hunt the ripper

A person who tears or cuts something apart.

• The paper ripper tore each sheet into strips.
• Two rippers prepared the cloth for recycling.
• He was the fastest ripper on the team.

Common phrases: paper ripper, cloth ripper

A law that gives an executive or board the power to choose officials previously chosen by others.

• The legislature passed a ripper bill.
• The ripper gave the mayor control over official appointments.
• Critics opposed the new ripper act.

Common phrases: ripper bill, ripper act

Very good or enjoyable.

• We had a ripper day.
• That was a ripper game of cricket.
• She threw a ripper party last weekend.

Similar words: excellent, great, fantastic

Opposites: awful

Common phrases: a ripper day, a ripper game, a ripper party