tear-up
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A fight; a scrap.
Register: slang
Examples
We'd give him a bit of verbal, out would come the bouncers, chucking their weight about, and it would all end in a right tear-up.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “tear-up” mean?
A fight; a scrap.
Is “tear-up” formal or informal?
tear-up is generally slang.