déchirer

to tear; to rip up; to tear up emotionally; to kick arse, to kick ass, to kick butt, to rock, to rule

“déchirer une lettre” — to rip up a letter

Inherited from Middle French deschirer, from Old French descirer, from de- + escirer, from Frankish *skeran (“to shear, cut”), from Proto-Germanic *skeraną (“to shear, shave, cut”). Cognate with Old English scieran (“to cut”). More at shear.