From Middle English rippen, from earlier ryppen (“to pluck”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *rupjaną, *ruppōną, intensive of *raupijaną, causative of Proto-Indo-European *roub- ~ *reub-, variant of *Hrewp- (“to break”).
See also West Frisian rippe, ripje, roppe, ropje (“to rip”), Dutch dialectal rippen, Low German ruppen, German Low German röpen, German rupfen, also Old English rīpan, rīepan (“to plunder”), West Frisian rippe (“to rip, tear”), German raufen (“to rip”); also Albanian rrabe ‘maquis’, possibly Latin rubus (“bramble”). More at reave, rob.
Meanings
A tear (in paper, etc.).
(Australia, New-Zealand) A type of strong, rough tide or current. ▸ A rip current: a strong outflow of surface water, away from the shore, that returns water from incoming waves.
2010, Jeff Wilks, Donna Prendergast, Chapter 9: Beach Safety and Millennium Youth: Travellers and Sentinels, Pierre Benckendorff, Gianna Moscardo, Donna Pendergast, Tourism and Generation Y, page 100,
Given that a large number of all rescues conducted by Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) occur in rips (a rip being a relatively narrow, seaward moving stream of water), this is critical surf-safety information (Surf Life Saving Australia, 2005).
Undertows (or ‘rips’) are the main problem. If you find yourself being carried out by a rip, the important thing to do is just keep afloat; don′t panic or try to swim against the rip, which will exhaust you. In most cases the current stops within a couple of hundred metres of the shore and you can then swim parallel to the shore for a short way to get out of the rip and make your way back to land. 2005, Paul Smitz, Australia & New Zealand on a Shoestring, Lonely Planet, page 466:
Rhythmic beaches consist of a rhythmic longshore bar that narrows and deepens when the rip crosses the breaker, and in between broadens, shoals and approaches the shore. It does not, however, reach the shore, with a continuous rip feeder channel feeding the rips to either side of the bar. 2000, Andrew Short, Beaches of the Queensland Coast: Cooktown to Coolangatta, page 38:
(in-plural) A type of strong, rough tide or current. ▸ A tract of broken water (in a river or stream), particularly one which is not as rough as rapids.
In the 5.8 miles between this point and the head of Burnt Land Rips the fall is 40 feet. The East Branch joins the main river about 1 1⁄2 miles below the rips at Medway. A part of this fall could probably be developed by a dam near the head of the Joe Mary Rapids, but the pondage created by a high dam would cause damage[…] 1911, Water-supply Paper, page 148:
At the outlet of Round Pond is the beginning of Round Pond Rips. Rips is a Maine word that generally means easy rapids. They are not hard rapids, but require your attention, as there are plenty of rocks and ledges that need to be avoided. After the rips the river is easy […] 2004, Gil Gilpatrick, The Allagash Guide: What You Need to Know to Canoe This Famous Waterway, Gil Gilpatrick, →ISBN, page 36:
At rare intervals the water is smooth and deep, but the rips, rapids and falls give the river its distinctive character. About two and a half miles from its mouth it contracts somewhat, and plunges over a precipice one hundred feet high[…] 1881, Frank Leslie, Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly, page 148:
(slang) A comical, embarrassing, or hypocritical event or action.
(slang) A hit (dose) of marijuana.
(UK, qualifier:Eton College) A black mark given for substandard schoolwork.
(slang) Something unfairly expensive, a rip-off.
(slang) Data or audio copied from a CD, DVD, Internet stream, etc. to a hard drive, portable device, etc.
Some of these CD rips don't sound very good: what bitrate did you use?
(Internet, abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, slang) Data or audio copied from a CD, DVD, Internet stream, etc. to a hard drive, portable device, etc. ▸ Ellipsis of high quality rip.
(slang) Something ripped off or stolen; a work resulting from plagiarism.
Well that's because groups are now releaseing^([sic]) music in their packs as well as vgas and rips. It^([sic]) you check out some local area code groups I'm sure you'll find high quality ansi if the group is good enough. 1995, Mark Treiber, “Ansi Artist Wanted!”, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.demos (Usenet):
Scans and rips sucks, ofcourse^([sic]). But a graphician, redrawing a picture does make him less good. A pixeled image should be judged by the skills and originality in the picture, not by the motive. 2000, Jerker Olofsson, “What to do about rippers....?”, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.demos (Usenet):
(informal) A kind of glissando leading up to the main note to be played.
(abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of ripsaw (“saw for cutting wood along its grain”).
Camp at Kakwa Wildland Park staging area to hit the trails at first light or take a short drive from the city and go for a rip at the Big Mountain area. 2015 September 29, Mason Buettner, “Grande Prairie Has It All When It Comes to Snowmobiling”, in SnoRidersWest.com, Cranbrook, British Columbia: KPI Media, retrieved 29 Jan 2022:
From Middle English rippen, from earlier ryppen (“to pluck”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *rupjaną, *ruppōną, intensive of *raupijaną, causative of Proto-Indo-European *roub- ~ *reub-, variant of *Hrewp- (“to break”).
See also West Frisian rippe, ripje, roppe, ropje (“to rip”), Dutch dialectal rippen, Low German ruppen, German Low German röpen, German rupfen, also Old English rīpan, rīepan (“to plunder”), West Frisian rippe (“to rip, tear”), German raufen (“to rip”); also Albanian rrabe ‘maquis’, possibly Latin rubus (“bramble”). More at reave, rob.
Meanings
(transitive) To divide or separate the parts of (especially something flimsy, such as paper or fabric), by cutting or tearing; to tear off or out by violence.
to rip a garment; to rip up a floor
A canister of flour from the kitchen had been thrown at the looking-glass and lay like trampled snow over the remains of a decent blue suit with the lining ripped out which lay on top of the ruin of a plastic wardrobe. 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
For a spell we done pretty well. Then there came a reg'lar terror of a sou'wester same as you don't get one summer in a thousand, and blowed the shanty flat and ripped about half of the weir poles out of the sand. 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
On the other hand, HMS Colossus takes multiple hits from several battleships at once, having drifted closer to the German fleet than the rest of her squadron. She explodes as multiple magazine detonations rip the ship apart, and is lost with all hands. 2018 October 17, Drachinifel, 21:33 from the start, in Last Ride of the High Seas Fleet - Battle of Texel 1918, archived from the original on 04 Aug 2022:
(intransitive) To tear apart; to rapidly become two parts.
My shirt ripped when it was caught on a bramble.
(transitive) To remove violently or wrongly.
A child untimely ripped from its parents' arms.
Mary is sister to the marginalized women who live unchronicled lives in oppressive situations. It does her no honor to rip her out of her conflictual, dangerous historical circumstances and transmute her into an icon of a peaceful, middle-class life robed in royal blue. 2000 June 17, Elizabeth A. Johnson, “Mary of Nazareth: Friend of God and Prophet”, in America, volume 182, number 21:
(transitive) To get by, or as if by, cutting or tearing.
He'll rip the fatal secret from her heart. 1726, George Granville, Cleora:
(figuratively, intransitive) To move quickly and destructively.
“Wall,” said the landlord, fetching a long breath, “that’s a purty long sarmon for a chap that rips a little now and then. ..." 1851, Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chapter 3:
On 18 November 1987 a horrific flash fire ripped through the escalators and ticket hall of King's Cross tube station, killing thirty people. 2007, Roger Baker, Emotional Processing, page 136:
The tornado ripped through northern Nebraska.
To cut wood along (parallel to) the grain.
(slang, transitive) To copy data from a CD, DVD, Internet stream, etc., to a hard drive, portable device, etc.
(slang) To take a hit, dose or shot of a drug (such as marijuana) or alcohol.
... ripping shots of cheap liquor is the easiest way to reach intoxication. It is cheaper and less time-consuming than sharing a craft beer with a friend. 2019 July 15, Trevor Gundlach, Barstool Theology: Crafting the Good Life, Our Sunday Visitor, →ISBN:
He spent the day ripping shots at the bar and ripping blunts at home.
"... ripping shots of Jack Daniel's and vomiting in the bathroom.” 2022 September 12, Brian W. Kelly, Wilkes-Barre: Return to Glory Iii: The City’s Return to Glory Begins with Dreams and Ideas, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN:
(slang) To fart audibly.
The rest of us had our days, but Dewey was consistent. He could fart on demand. If we were at a movie, one of us would whisper to Dewey, “Hey, Dewey, let one rip,” and he would smile, raise a leg, and let one go. He had one lined up ready for launching just for the asking. 2005, Dan Bomkamp, “16: Gassed”, in The Gosey: Four Boys, a Swimming Hole, a Summer Adventure, Guest Cottage, →ISBN, page 156:
(US, slang, sometimes, transitive) To mock or criticize (someone or something). (often used with on and into)
He spent the entire forty-five-minute ride home ripping on me: my makeup, my hair, my clothing, my “gear bag” (his cowboy slang for my purse). 2011 August 14, Victorie Powers, The Panty Theory, Tate Publishing & Enterprises, LLC, →ISBN, page 57:
(slang, transitive) To steal; to rip off.
I don't really care if someone rips my 3d engine, rips effects code, or anything - simply because my 3d engine and effects will be far more advanced when someone manages to use my code. 2001, Maciej Mróz, “thoughts on code-sharing”, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.demos (Usenet):
[…]an old demo by some bods called "kellogs and donovan" which had ripped graphics from the game "Barbarian"[…] 2002, Ray Norrish, “Barbarian demo circa 1988?”, in alt.emulators.amiga (Usenet):
opensource is a double-edged sword. while you have a chance of people using and improving on the code, you will also have the chance of lamers ripping it. 2001, rex deathstar, “Opensource on demoscene”, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.demos (Usenet):
To move or act fast; to rush headlong.
(archaic) To tear up for search or disclosure, or for alteration; to search to the bottom; to discover; to disclose; usually with up.
They ripped up all that had been done from the beginning of the rebellion. 1702–1704, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, (please specify |book=I to XVI), in The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, Begun in the Year 1641. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed at the [Sheldonian] Theater:
For brethren to debate and rip up their falling out in the ear of a common enemy […] is neither wise nor comely. 1649, J[ohn] Milton, ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ [Eikonoklástēs] […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], →OCLC:
pl drzeć (to divide or separate the parts of) · ga rois (to divide or separate the parts of) · de neppen (to steal, to rip off) · fi kopioida (to copy data to a device) · mi tāmamau (to copy data to a device) · fi riisua (to steal, to rip off) · de voranstürmen (to rush headlong) · sq nda (to rapidly become two parts) · de auftrennen (to divide or separate the parts of) · de reißen (to divide or separate the parts of) · ru порва́ть (to divide or separate the parts of) · pl rozdzierać (to divide or separate the parts of) · ltg uordeit (to divide or separate the parts of) · de vorstürmen (to rush headlong) · fr se déchirer (to rapidly become two parts) · fi repiä auki (to tear up for search or disclosure, or for alteration) · vi xé (to divide or separate the parts of) · scn cupiari (to copy data to a device) · fi tehdä siirtokopio (to copy data to a device) · he קָרַע (to divide or separate the parts of) · de pressen (to move quickly and destructively) · de der Länge nach auftrennen (woodworking: to cut wood along the grain) · lv ārdīt (to divide or separate the parts of) · eo ŝiri (to divide or separate the parts of) · km ច្រៀក (to divide or separate the parts of) · scn spàrtiri (to rapidly become two parts) · fi ripata (to copy data to a device) · fi halkaista (woodworking: to cut wood along the grain) · ru рвать (to divide or separate the parts of) · got 𐌳𐌹𐍃𐍃𐌺𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽 (to divide or separate the parts of) · de zerreißen (to divide or separate the parts of) · scn strappari (to divide or separate the parts of) · fi repiä (to divide or separate the parts of) · mww dua (to divide or separate the parts of) · scn tagghiari pi longu (woodworking: to cut wood along the grain) · scn scippari (to divide or separate the parts of) · de rasen (to move quickly and destructively) · de zertrennen (to divide or separate the parts of) · scn dari un corpu di (slang: to take a "hit" of marijuana) · de reissen (to divide or separate the parts of) · he נִקְרַע (to rapidly become two parts) · pt rasgar (to divide or separate the parts of) · vi cắt (to divide or separate the parts of) · fi rynnätä (to rush headlong) · ru порва́ться (to rapidly become two parts) · cs okrást (to steal, to rip off) · bg съдирам (to divide or separate the parts of) · de stürmen (to move quickly and destructively) · ang rēofan (to divide or separate the parts of) · pl zgrać (to copy data to a device) · es rasgar (to divide or separate the parts of) · scn cumminari n' aciu (to move quickly and destructively) · de abziehen (to steal, to rip off) · cs roztrhnout (to divide or separate the parts of) · cs kopírovat z disku (to copy data to a device) · ru разорва́ться (to rapidly become two parts) · fa فتردن (to divide or separate the parts of) · ang slītan (to divide or separate the parts of) · scn scippari (to steal, to rip off) · de trennen (to divide or separate the parts of) · de klauen (to steal, to rip off) · bg копирам (to copy data to a device) · pl rozrywać (to divide or separate the parts of) · fi ryöstää (to steal, to rip off) · de zerfetzen (to rapidly become two parts) · de aufreißen (to rapidly become two parts) · chr ᎦᏣᎦᎵᎭ (to divide or separate the parts of) · nl scheuren (to divide or separate the parts of) · fi repiä (to get by, or as if by, cutting or tearing) · ru разорва́ть (to divide or separate the parts of) · de durchfegen (to rush headlong) · fi repäistä (to divide or separate the parts of) · de entreißen (to get by, or as if by, cutting or tearing) · pt ripar (to copy data to a device) · bg хвърлям се (to move quickly and destructively) · scn spàrtiri (to divide or separate the parts of) · scn scamuvìrisi (to move quickly and destructively) · bg разкъсвам (to divide or separate the parts of) · oc copiar (to copy data to a device) · fi repäistä (to get by, or as if by, cutting or tearing) · pl rozerwać (to divide or separate the parts of) · ru рва́ться (to rapidly become two parts) · es desgarrar (to divide or separate the parts of) · de zerreißen (to rapidly become two parts) · it strappare (to divide or separate the parts of) · scn fari un tiru di (slang: to take a "hit" of marijuana) · fi rynnistää (to rush headlong) · de stürmen (to rush headlong) · sq da (to divide or separate the parts of) · ru рвану́ться (to rush headlong) · es ripear (to divide or separate the parts of) · ru разрыва́ться (to rapidly become two parts) · izh revittää (to divide or separate the parts of) · pl zgrywać (to copy data to a device) · ru вы́рвать (to get by, or as if by, cutting or tearing) · pl rwać (to divide or separate the parts of) · de rippen (to copy data to a device) · ru разрыва́ть (to divide or separate the parts of) · de reißen (to move quickly and destructively) · ru вырыва́ть (to get by, or as if by, cutting or tearing) · it copiare (to copy data to a device) · izh hansata (to divide or separate the parts of) · fi riehua (to move quickly and destructively) · ang rendan (to divide or separate the parts of) · nl rippen (to copy data to a device) · fr ripper (to copy data to a device) · izh reppiä (to divide or separate the parts of) · bg съдирам се (to rapidly become two parts) · sa दृणाति (to divide or separate the parts of) · fi revetä (to rapidly become two parts) · ru рвану́ть (to rush headlong) · bg цепя (to surf extremely well) · de übers Ohr hauen (to steal, to rip off) · de einen Längsschnitt machen (woodworking: to cut wood along the grain) · ltg jaukt (to divide or separate the parts of)
Uncertain; perhaps a variant of rep (“reprobate”).
Meanings
(colloquial, dated, regional) A worthless horse; a nag.
(colloquial, dated, regional) An immoral man; a rake, a scoundrel.
"Bad luck to yer, ye ould rip," sez he, "what a purty thrick yuv played me, to bring me here;" an' he still wint an yellin', and the farther they got an the bridge, the loudher he yelled[.] 1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 526:
If there were, in clubs and places where men talk, unpleasant rumours as to himself he preferred it to be thought that he was the rip, not his wife the strumpet. 1924, Ford Madox Ford, Some Do Not… (Parade's End), Penguin, published 2012, page 76:
Miss Compton, in 'Other People's Worries,' asks rhetorically whether a young rip was not in the Blank divorce case. 1922, The Saturday Review, volume 133, page 359: