tear
Don't tear tear-stained clothes.
The sentence advises against ripping garments that already have water-stains from crying on them.
Meanings
to pull apart or to pieces by force; to rip
- She tore the letter into shreds.
- Be careful not to tear the wrapping paper.
a drop of clear salty liquid that comes from the eye, especially from emotion or irritation
- A tear rolled down her cheek.
- Onions made his eyes fill with tears.
Word origin
Two etymologically distinct words: 'tear' the verb /tɛər/ ('to rip') is from Old English teran, from Proto-Germanic *teraną, from Proto-Indo-European *der- ('to split, tear'). 'Tear' the noun /tɪər/ ('drop from the eye') is from Old English tēar, from Proto-Germanic *tahru. Both are ancient Germanic words from completely different Proto-Indo-European roots. Their convergence in modern spelling is coincidental.
Fun fact
The two 'tears' are reconstructed as completely separate Proto-Indo-European roots — *der- ('to split, tear') and *dakru- ('a tear, weeping'). The same words show up in unrelated forms across the language family: 'tear' the rip is cognate with Greek derma ('skin, hide' — from being torn off animals); 'tear' the eye-drop is cognate with Greek dakruma ('a tear'). Two ancient roots, one modern English spelling.