rip
rip — abbreviation
1. written on a gravestone or in a message about someone who has died, expressing t
written on a gravestone or in a message about someone who has died, expressing the hope that they will find peace in the afterlife.
The grey stone at the head of the grave read simply "R.I.P. Margaret Okafor."
R.I.P. + [full name] on a gravestone
Zayd wrote "R.I.P. Grandpa" on a card and placed it beside the flowers.
Friends posted "R.I.P., you will be missed" on the family's social media page.
Someone had carved "R.I.P. our dear father" into the wooden cross at the roadside.
R.I.P. + [relationship term] for informal personal message
Grammar Patterns
R.I.P. + [name/role]
Usage Note
The full dots (R.I.P.) are standard in formal writing, though RIP without dots is common in informal online messages. The singular form is used when referring to one person.
2. written on a memorial or in a message about several people who have died, expres
written on a memorial or in a message about several people who have died, expressing the hope that they will find peace in the afterlife.
The bronze plaque on the war memorial read "R.I.P. the fallen soldiers of two world wars."
R.I.P. + [plural noun group]
A single line on the monument said simply "R.I.P. all who died in the terrible fire."
The village church has a wooden board that says "R.I.P. the miners lost in the disaster of 1958."
A simple stone in the cemetery garden read "R.I.P. all the children who died in the epidemic."
R.I.P. + [plural group] for a collective memorial
Grammar Patterns
R.I.P. + [plural group]
Usage Note
This plural form is less common than the singular. In everyday English, people often use R.I.P. followed by individual names even in a list, rather than a plural construction.
Common Mistakes
rip — noun
1. an opening in cloth, paper, leather, or similar material that is created when it
an opening in cloth, paper, leather, or similar material that is created when it is pulled apart with force.
Dahlia noticed a small rip in the sleeve of her new jacket.
rip + in + [item of clothing]
Christopher sewed up the rip in the curtain before his guests arrived.
The rip in the old sofa grew bigger every time someone sat down.
A long rip ran across the page where the toddler had grabbed the book.
rip + across [surface]; describes position and size
- rip in
- small rip
- long rip
- sew a rip
- repair
the action of fixing a rip
Grammar Patterns
rip + in + [material]
Usage Note
A rip is typically caused by pulling or catching on something, while a tear can also happen from age or wear. Rip suggests a more sudden or forceful action.
2. a digital copy of music, a film, or data that has been taken from a CD, DVD, or
a digital copy of music, a film, or data that has been taken from a CD, DVD, or website and saved onto a computer or other device.
Lan keeps a high-quality rip of the album saved on her phone.
rip + of + [media title]
Inês made a rip of the documentary and watched it on her tablet.
Beatriz shared a rip of the concert video with her classmates.
The rip of the old jazz record sounded surprisingly clear on his headphones.
- rip of
- make a rip
- high-quality rip
- audio rip
Grammar Patterns
rip + of + [media: album/film]
Usage Note
This sense belongs to computing vocabulary. A rip is different from a simple download — it involves extracting media from a physical disc or converting from a protected format.
Common Mistakes
3. a stretch of rough, choppy water in the sea or a river that is created when oppo
a stretch of rough, choppy water in the sea or a river that is created when opposing currents meet or when water flows over an uneven bottom.
Tara was warned about the dangerous rips near the river mouth.
usually plural: rips
Hannah got caught in a strong rip and had to swim sideways to escape.
rip (singular) referring to a rip current
The fishing boat struggled against the rips where the two tides met.
Mei spotted a line of white foam marking a rip beyond the reef.
- strong rip
- dangerous rip
- rip current
- caught in a rip
- rip current
the full term for a specific type of dangerous sea current
- undertow
often confused with rip — undertow pulls downward, while a rip pulls outward
Usage Note
Often used in the plural form rips. A rip current (sometimes shortened to rip) is a narrow, fast-moving channel of water flowing away from the shore — the most dangerous meaning for swimmers.
Common Mistakes
4. a man who lives a wild, immoral life with no concern for social rules or respons
a man who lives a wild, immoral life with no concern for social rules or responsibilities — a dated term, now mainly found in historical novels.
The old novel tells the story of a wealthy rip who gambles away his entire fortune.
dated literary usage
In the play, the villain is a drunken rip who treats everyone around him cruelly.
Historians described the duke as a notorious rip who spent his nights in gambling halls and taverns.
The newspaper of the time called him an old rip and a disgrace to his noble family name.
collocation: 'old rip' common in 19th-century texts
- old rip
- drunken rip
Usage Note
This sense is very old-fashioned and rarely used in modern English. It appears mainly in 19th-century or early 20th-century literature. Learners will encounter it in reading but should not use it in speech or writing.
rip — verb
1. to pull something apart with force, causing the material to separate suddenly; o
to pull something apart with force, causing the material to separate suddenly; or to become separated in this way.
Zayd ripped his new jeans on a rusty nail at the building site.
rip + object + on [sharp object]
The old envelope ripped easily when Heather tried to open it with her finger.
intransitive: material + rip + adverb
Joshua ripped his shirt on a branch while running through the woods.
The kitten ripped the sofa cushion open with its tiny claws.
rip + object + adjective showing result
Abigail ripped the letter into tiny pieces before anyone could read it.
- rip open
- rip apart
- rip in half
- rip on
Grammar Patterns
rip + object
rip + object + adjective/adverb
rip + adverb (intransitive)
Usage Note
The intransitive form (the fabric rips) describes the material's action rather than a person's deliberate action. Use transitive (I ripped the fabric) when someone actively causes the tear.
Common Mistakes
2. to take something off or out using a fast, strong pulling action, often without
to take something off or out using a fast, strong pulling action, often without care.
Noa ripped the bandage off her arm in one quick movement.
rip + object + off [body part]
The storm ripped the old wooden sign completely off its post.
Tunde ripped out the page and stuffed it into his coat pocket.
rip out: remove a section from a fixed source
Madison ripped the wrapping paper off the gift and smiled at what she saw.
Joon ripped the old poster down from the notice board in one angry tug.
- rip off
- rip out
- rip down
- rip from
Grammar Patterns
rip + object + off/out/down/from
Usage Note
Typically followed by a particle (off, out, down, from) that indicates the direction of removal. The particle changes the meaning slightly: rip off suggests complete removal, rip out suggests removing an embedded part.
3. to strike a ball with great force, especially in baseball, tennis, golf, or socc
to strike a ball with great force, especially in baseball, tennis, golf, or soccer, sending it fast in a particular direction.
Rodrigo ripped a fastball into center field for a clean double.
baseball: rip + [type of pitch] + direction
Élise ripped a perfect backhand shot down the line and won the point.
Hugo ripped his drive straight down the fairway for over two hundred yards.
golf: rip + [type of shot] + direction
Sari stepped up to the plate and ripped the first pitch over the fence.
- rip a shot
- rip a drive
- rip a pitch
- rip a serve
Grammar Patterns
rip + [ball/shot] + [direction/preposition]
Usage Note
This sense is strongly tied to sports commentary and informal talk about games. It is not used for gentle or precise shots — only for powerful strikes.
4. to copy music, films, or other digital data from a CD, DVD, or online source ont
to copy music, films, or other digital data from a CD, DVD, or online source onto a computer or portable device.
Ishaan ripped his entire music collection from his old CDs to his laptop.
rip + [content] + from + [source] + to + [destination]
Nadia ripped each track from the DVD and saved them as separate MP3 files.
Ezra ripped the album and transferred all the songs to his sister's phone.
Tamás ripped his DVD collection onto a hard drive before moving abroad.
- rip from
- rip to
- rip music
- rip a CD
- rip a DVD
Grammar Patterns
rip + [media] + from + [source] + to + [device]
Usage Note
In computing, rip specifically means extracting raw digital audio or video from a disc format, as opposed to downloading a file that already exists in digital form. The noun rip (sense noun/2) refers to the resulting file.
Common Mistakes
5. to attack someone or something with severe, angry criticism, often in public.
to attack someone or something with severe, angry criticism, often in public.
Kwame ripped the film in his review, calling it the worst movie of the year.
rip + [creation/work] + in + [context]
Yael ripped the proposal apart during the team meeting with sharp questions.
rip + object + apart: criticize every part
Marta ripped into her opponent's argument point by point in the debate.
rip into: attack verbally with energy
The newspaper column ripped the mayor's new policy as badly thought out.
- rip apart
- rip into
- rip to shreds
- slam
similar register; newspaper headlines often use 'slam'
- pan
specific to reviews of creative works like films or plays
- tear apart
almost identical in meaning and register
- praise
to express warm approval
- compliment
to express polite admiration
Grammar Patterns
rip + object + apart
rip + into + object
Usage Note
This sense is always informal and carries a strong negative emotional charge. Rip apart suggests thorough destruction of an argument or work. Rip into suggests a personal verbal attack on someone.
6. to move or travel at very high speed, often with a sense of force or energy.
to move or travel at very high speed, often with a sense of force or energy.
Kenji ripped down the empty highway at over a hundred miles an hour.
rip + down + [road/highway]
A police car ripped past them with its lights flashing and siren wailing.
Lucas ripped through his maths homework in just fifteen minutes that evening.
rip through: complete an activity very quickly
Stefan ripped up the stairs two at a time when he heard the phone ring.
- rip down
- rip past
- rip through
- rip along
Grammar Patterns
rip + [preposition: down/through/past/up] + [place]
Usage Note
When used with a task (rip through homework), the sense extends to doing something very fast, not just moving physically. The subject is typically a vehicle, person in a hurry, or powerful force.
7. to cut or split a piece of wood following the natural direction of its grain, us
to cut or split a piece of wood following the natural direction of its grain, usually using a saw.
Omar ripped the pine board lengthwise using a circular saw in the workshop.
rip + [type of wood] + lengthwise
Lien ripped the oak plank into two narrow strips for the bookshelf project.
Padma ripped the timber along the grain to make straight edges for the frame.
Aarav carefully ripped each wooden beam before assembling the garden shed walls.
rip + [wood piece] + before/as part of a larger task
- rip a board
- rip cut
- rip along the grain
- rip lengthwise
- cross-cut
cutting a board across the grain, not along it
Grammar Patterns
rip + [wood/board] + [adverb: lengthwise]
Usage Note
This is a technical carpentry term. A rip cut (with the grain) is contrasted with a cross cut (across the grain). Ripping requires a specific type of saw blade and is not the same as ordinary sawing.
Common Mistakes
rip at
phrasal verbTo pull or tear something with force, often repeatedly.
The cat ripped at the curtains with its claws.
He ripped at the packaging to open the box quickly.
rip into
phrasal verbTo criticize someone or something very strongly and angrily.
The boss ripped into the team for missing the sales target.
Maya ripped into her brother for borrowing her car without asking.
rip off
phrasal verbTo cheat someone by charging too much money or by selling something of poor quality.
The taxi driver tried to rip off the tourist by charging double the fare.
That store rips off customers with overpriced electronics.
rip through
phrasal verbTo move very quickly and destructively through something.
The tornado ripped through the small town, destroying many homes.
A wildfire ripped through the forest, leaving a path of destruction.
rip up
phrasal verbTo tear something into pieces, especially paper or cloth.
She ripped up the letter and threw it in the trash.
The children ripped up the old newspapers for a craft project.
let rip
idiomto express yourself or do something with great energy, force, and without holding back.
After the final exam, the whole class let rip and celebrated loudly in the hallway.
The guitarist let rip with a long, screaming solo that brought the crowd to their feet.
to destroy or remove the most important, central part of something, making it weak or useless.
Closing the factory ripped the heart out of the small town where everyone worked.
The new road will tear the heart out of the old city district.
to attack or punish someone with extreme violence — used figuratively to show strong anger in an exaggerated way.
If she finds out you broke her camera, she will rip you limb from limb.
The fans looked so angry that the referee thought they might tear him limb from limb.
To allow something, like a vehicle or an engine, to operate at its maximum speed or power.
On the empty highway, Tom let rip and reached 120 miles per hour.
Dad let the motorcycle rip down the straight road.
To express strong feelings, such as anger or enthusiasm, without holding back.
During the meeting, Sara let rip at her colleague for missing the deadline.
The band let rip with an energetic performance that thrilled the crowd.
To destroy something completely or to criticize someone or something very harshly.
The critic ripped the new movie apart in his review.
The puppy ripped the stuffed toy to shreds within minutes.
To remove or destroy the most essential or vital part of something.
The new law ripped the heart out of the environmental protection program.
Closing the school tore the heart out of the small town.
To attack someone with extreme violence, often used as a threat.
If you hurt my sister, I will tear you limb from limb.
The angry mob threatened to rip the thief limb from limb.
Word family
- rippedadjectiveB2
- rippingadjectiveB2
- rippernounC1
- rip-offnounB2
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
Rip and tear are the most common verbs for breaking a material by pulling. Rip suggests a sudden, forceful action that often makes a sound — you rip a piece of paper in half but might gently tear a page out of a notebook. Tear is more general and can describe both careful and violent separation. Shred means to tear into many thin strips, deliberately destroying the material's shape — you shred documents or shred a letter out of anger. Rend is a formal, dramatic word found in literature and religious texts, meaning to tear with extreme violence ('the lion rent its prey'). In everyday English, rip is the most physically forceful and vivid of the four. For example: 'She tore the label off the bottle' (neutral) versus 'She ripped the label off in anger' (forceful) versus 'She shredded the letter so no one could read it' (destructive).
Common collocations
Nouns
- jeans
- shirt
- paper
- poster
- page
- bandage
- cloth
Adverbs
- apart
- open
- in half
- to pieces
Phrases
- rip to shreds
- rip apart
- rip open
Prepositions
- from
- off
- out of
- down from
Etymology
The verb rip comes from Old English 'ryppan', meaning 'to tear, to plunder,' which traces back to the Proto-Germanic root '*rupjaną'. It has been in English since before the 12th century and has always carried the sense of forceful tearing. The noun senses (a torn place, rough water) developed naturally from the verb over the centuries. The abbreviation R.I.P. comes from a completely separate source — Latin 'requiescat in pace' (may he/she rest in peace) or 'requiescant in pace' (may they rest in peace) — and is only connected to the word 'rip' through spelling.