What does "rip" mean?

1. (to tear) to pull something apart quickly or with force, especially paper or cloth. 2. (to copy digital data) to copy music or video from a CD or DVD onto a computer. 3. (to criticize) to criticize someone or something very strongly. 4. (a tear) a long hole in something that has been torn. 5. (water current) a strong, dangerous current of water that pulls away from the shore.

How do you use "rip"?

Transitive or intransitive. Transitive; often used with 'from'. Usually used with the prepositions 'on' or 'into'. Countable. Often called a 'rip current' in technical contexts.

rip

v. · n.

US //ˈɹɪp// UK //ɹˈɪp// rip

1 to tear (v.)
A2 Elementary

to pull something apart quickly or with force, especially paper or cloth.

to divide or separate parts of a flimsy material by pulling or cutting with force.

Example

He had to rip the old wallpaper off the walls before he could start painting.

Example

The wind was so powerful that it began to rip the canvas awning from its metal frame.

Usage

Transitive or intransitive.
- mend
- sew
2 to copy digital data (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Slang Computing

to copy music or video from a CD or DVD onto a computer.

to extract digital content from a physical medium or stream to a local storage device.

Example

I spent the whole afternoon trying to rip my old CDs to my laptop.

Example

The software allows users to rip audio tracks from high-definition discs without losing any sound quality.

Usage

Transitive; often used with 'from'.

Teacher's tip

Though less common now due to streaming, this remains the standard term for digitising physical media.
- extract
- copy
- burn

Show 3 more sensesShow fewer

3 to criticize (v.)
C1 Advanced Informal American English Slang

to criticize someone or something very strongly.

to mock or criticize someone harshly and aggressively.

Example

The critics really ripped into the director's new movie.

Example

The late-night host spent his entire monologue ripping on the senator's latest public gaffe.

Usage

Usually used with the prepositions 'on' or 'into'.
- praise
4 a tear (n.)
A2 Elementary

a long hole in something that has been torn.

a rent or opening made by tearing fabric, paper, or similar material.

Example

There was a small rip in the sleeve of his jacket.

Example

She noticed a significant rip in the upholstery that would require professional repair before the sofa could be sold.

Usage

Countable.
- patch
5 water current (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

a strong, dangerous current of water that pulls away from the shore.

a strong surface current flowing outwards from a shore, often dangerous to swimmers.

Example

The lifeguard warned the swimmers to stay away from the rip near the rocks.

Example

The rip was so powerful that even experienced surfers struggled to paddle back toward the beach.

Usage

Often called a 'rip current' in technical contexts.

Teacher's tip

Commonly used in coastal regions of Australia, New Zealand, and the US.
- rip current
- undertow

Etymology 1

Learned borrowing from Latin RIP (requiescat in pace) and an initialism of rest in peace.

Etymology 2

Originally coined in Selker et al. (1987) as an acronym for rearrangement induced premeiotically, which was later renamed repeat-induced point mutation in Cambareri et al. (1989).

Word family

Verbrip
Nounripper
Nounripple

Idioms8 entries