tear up

déchirer en morceaux

Séparer quelque chose en petits morceaux en tirant dessus.

En anglais simple : To pull something apart into small pieces.

• Don’t tear up the photo.
• He tore up the old letter.
• Why have you torn my notes up?

Comment l'utiliser : tear something up (She tore the letter up and threw it away.)

Synonymes : rip up, shred

Expressions courantes : tear up something, tear up a letter, tear up paper

résilier, annuler

Mettre fin à un accord ou à un contrat pour que ses règles ne s’appliquent plus.

En anglais simple : To end an agreement or contract so that its rules no longer apply.

• They decided to tear up the agreement.
• The company tore up our contract without warning.
• Will the new government tear up the treaty?

Comment l'utiliser : tear something up (Both sides agreed to tear the contract up.)

Synonymes : cancel, terminate, annul

Expressions courantes : tear up a contract, tear up an agreement, tear up something

abîmer, saccager

Abîmer gravement une surface, un lieu ou un objet, souvent en l’utilisant brutalement.

En anglais simple : To badly damage a surface, place, or thing, often through rough use.

• The trucks tore up the road.
• Their boots have torn up the grass.
• Don’t let the dogs tear the garden up.

Comment l'utiliser : tear something up (The heavy machines tore the lawn up.)

Synonymes : damage, ruin, wreck

Contraires : repair

Expressions courantes : tear up a field, tear up the road, tear up something

tout écraser, dominer

Exceller dans une activité, souvent en battant facilement les autres.

En anglais simple : To perform extremely well in an activity, often easily beating other people.

• She’s tearing up the league.
• Our team tore up the competition last season.
• The rookie has been tearing up opposing defences.

Comment l'utiliser : tear up a competition or field (The young striker is tearing up the league this season.)

Synonymes : dominate, excel in

Expressions courantes : tear up the league, tear up the competition, tear up something

déraciner, arracher

Retirer des plantes ou d’autres choses de la terre en tirant avec force.

En anglais simple : To pull plants or other things out of the ground with force.

• We tore up the weeds.
• The workers are tearing up the old bushes.
• Could the wind tear up such a large tree?

Comment l'utiliser : tear up something (The storm tore up several young trees.)

Synonymes : uproot, pull up

Expressions courantes : tear up weeds, tear up trees

passer à tabac

Attaquer quelqu’un et le blesser gravement en le frappant.

En anglais simple : To attack someone and hurt them badly.

• They threatened to tear him up.
• He was badly torn up in the fight.
• The attackers tore her up before running away.

Comment l'utiliser : tear someone up (The gang threatened to tear him up.)

Synonymes : beat up, assault

Expressions courantes : tear someone up, tear up someone