What is "to tear off"

Tear \Tear\ (t[^a]r), v. t. [imp. Tore (t[=o]r), ((Obs. Tare) (t[^a]r); p. p. Torn (t[=o]rn); p. pr. & vb. n. Tearing.] [OE. teren, AS. teran; akin to OS. farterian to destroy, D. teren to consume, G. zerren to pull, to tear, zehren to consume, Icel. t[ae]ra, Goth. gata['i]ran to destroy, Lith. dirti to flay, Russ. drate to pull, to tear, Gr. de`rein to flay, Skr. dar to burst. [root]63. Cf. Darn, Epidermis, Tarre, Tirade.]

1. To separate by violence; to pull apart by force; to rend; to lacerate; as, to tear cloth; to tear a garment; to tear the skin or flesh.

   Tear him to pieces; he's a conspirator.
   --Shak.

2. Hence, to divide by violent measures; to disrupt; to rend; as, a party or government torn by factions.

3. To rend away; to force away; to remove by force; to sunder; as, a child torn from its home.

   The hand of fate Hath torn thee from me.
   --Addison.

4. To pull with violence; as, to tear the hair.

5. To move violently; to agitate. ``Once I loved torn ocean's roar.''
   --Byron.

   To tear a cat, to rant violently; to rave; -- especially applied to theatrical ranting. [Obs.]
   --Shak.

   To tear down, to demolish violently; to pull or pluck down.

   To tear off, to pull off by violence; to strip.

   To tear out, to pull or draw out by violence; as, to tear out the eyes.

   To tear up, to rip up; to remove from a fixed state by violence; as, to tear up a floor; to tear up the foundation of government or order.