rend

Meanings

1. To separate into parts with force or sudden violence; to split; to burst.
2. To violently disturb the peace of; to throw into chaos.
3. To part or tear off forcibly; to take away by force; to amputate.
4. To be rent or torn; to become parted; to separate; to split.

1. A violent separation of parts.

Etymology

From Middle English renden, from Old English rendan (“to rend, tear, cut, lacerate, cut down”), from Proto-West Germanic *(h)randijan (“to tear”), of uncertain origin. Believed by some to be the causative of Proto-Germanic *hrindaną (“to push”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱret-, *kret- (“to hit, beat”), which would make it related to Old English hrindan (“to thrust, push”). Cognate with Scots rent (“to rend, tear”), Old Frisian renda (“to tear”).