Ripped Adverb əˈpɑːt əˈpɑːrt Houses Stood Metres Birthdays

• the two houses stood 500 metres apart.
• their birthdays are only three days apart.
• the two sides in the talks are still a long way apart (= are far from reaching an agreement).
• we're living apart now.

apart

1. separated by a distance, of space or time
• The two houses stood 500 metres apart.
• Their birthdays are only three days apart.
• The two sides in the talks are still a long way apart (= are far from reaching an agreement).
2. not together; separate or separately
• We're living apart now.
• Over the years, Rosie and I had drifted apart.
• She keeps herself apart from other people.
• I can't tell the twins apart (= see the difference between them).
3. into pieces
• The whole thing just came apart in my hands.
• When his wife died, his world fell apart.
• Within minutes the ship began to break apart.
• We had to take the engine apart.
4. used to say that somebody/something is not included in what you are talking about
• Victoria apart, not one of them seems suitable for the job.
5. to be widely separated; to have no interests that you share
• Her own friends were poles apart from his.
• In temperament, she and her sister are poles apart.
6. to be completely different in attitudes, opinions, etc.
• Although they are twins, they are worlds apart in their attitude to life.
7. used to show that you are now being serious after you have said something funny
8. to destroy something; to criticize somebody very strongly
• countries ripped apart by fighting
• The dog had ripped a cushion to shreds.

Extra Examples

• The hounds fell on the fox and ripped it apart.
• She'll rip you to pieces if you try to keep her cub from her.

Word Origin

• late Middle English: from Old French, from Latin a parte ‘at the side’.