tear-off

1 of 2

noun

plural -s

: part of a piece of paper intended to be removed by tearing usually along a marked line (as a row of dashes)

tear off

2 of 2

transitive verb

: to compose rapidly

tore off a whole play in three weeks

just in time to tear off a letter home

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from the phrase tear off

Transitive verb

tear entry 3

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!