tear up

hacer pedazos, despedazar

Romper algo en trozos pequeños tirando de ello.

En inglés sencillo: 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?

Cómo se usa: tear something up (She tore the letter up and threw it away.)

Sinónimos: rip up, shred

Expresiones frecuentes: tear up something, tear up a letter, tear up paper

rescindir, anular

Poner fin a un acuerdo o contrato para que sus condiciones dejen de aplicarse.

En inglés sencillo: 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?

Cómo se usa: tear something up (Both sides agreed to tear the contract up.)

Sinónimos: cancel, terminate, annul

Expresiones frecuentes: tear up a contract, tear up an agreement, tear up something

destrozar, estropear

Dañar mucho una superficie, un lugar o una cosa, a menudo por usarlo sin cuidado.

En inglés sencillo: 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.

Cómo se usa: tear something up (The heavy machines tore the lawn up.)

Sinónimos: damage, ruin, wreck

Antónimos: repair

Expresiones frecuentes: tear up a field, tear up the road, tear up something

arrasar, dominar

Destacar muchísimo en una actividad, a menudo venciendo fácilmente a los demás.

En inglés sencillo: 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.

Cómo se usa: tear up a competition or field (The young striker is tearing up the league this season.)

Sinónimos: dominate, excel in

Expresiones frecuentes: tear up the league, tear up the competition, tear up something

arrancar, desarraigar

Sacar plantas u otras cosas de la tierra tirando con fuerza.

En inglés sencillo: 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?

Cómo se usa: tear up something (The storm tore up several young trees.)

Sinónimos: uproot, pull up

Expresiones frecuentes: tear up weeds, tear up trees

dar una paliza, apalear

Atacar a alguien y hacerle mucho daño a golpes.

En inglés sencillo: 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.

Cómo se usa: tear someone up (The gang threatened to tear him up.)

Sinónimos: beat up, assault

Expresiones frecuentes: tear someone up, tear up someone