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heart-rend·ing or heart·rend·ing (härtʹrĕn'dĭng) adj.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
heart-rending — also heartrending, heart rending, 1680s, from HEART (Cf. heart) + prp. of REND (Cf. rend). Related: Heart rendingly … Etymology dictionary
heart-rending — [härt′ren΄diŋ] adj. causing much grief or mental anguish heart rendingly adv … English World dictionary
heart-rending — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ very sad or distressing … English terms dictionary
heart-rending — also heartrending ADJ GRADED: usu ADJ n You use heart rending to describe something that causes you to feel great sadness and pity. ...heart rending pictures of refugees... I heard the most heartrending screams and moans. Syn: heartbreaking … English dictionary
heart-rending — adj. Heart rending is used with these nouns: ↑story … Collocations dictionary
heart-rending — adjective their heart rending testimonies had the audience in tears Syn: distressing, upsetting, disturbing, heartbreaking, sad, tragic, painful, traumatic, harrowing; pitiful, poignant, plaintive, moving, tearjerker, tearjerking, gut wrenching … Thesaurus of popular words
heart-rending — UK [ˈhɑː(r)tˌrendɪŋ] / US [ˈhɑrtˌrendɪŋ] adjective making you feel very sad and sympathetic because someone is suffering a heart rending story of a young mother with cancer … English dictionary
heart-rending — heart breaking, causing profound mental anguish … English contemporary dictionary
heart-rending — /ˈhat rɛndɪŋ / (say haht rending) adjective causing acute mental anguish. –heart rendingly, adverb …
heart-rending — adjective Having a strong effect upon the emotions, inclining one to sadness or pity; heart breaking … Wiktionary
