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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Rend \Rend\ (r[e^]nd), verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Rent} (r[e^]nt); p. pr. & vb. n. {Rending}.] [AS. rendan, hrendan; cf. OFries. renda, randa, Fries. renne to cut, rend, Icel. hrinda to push, thrust, AS. hrindan; or cf. Icel. r[ae]na to rob, plunder, Ir. rannaim to divide, share, part, W. rhanu, Armor. ranna.]
1. To separate into parts with force or sudden violence; to tear asunder; to split; to burst; as, powder rends a rock in blasting; lightning rends an oak.
The dreadful thunder Doth rend the region. --Shak.
2. To part or tear off forcibly; to take away by force.
An empire from its old foundations rent. --Dryden.
I will surely rend the kingdom from thee. --1 Kings xi. 11.
{To rap and rend}. See under {Rap}, verb (used with an object), to snatch.
Syn: To tear; burst; break; rupture; lacerate; fracture; crack; split.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
rending
adjective: resembling a sound of violent tearing as of something ripped apart or lightning splitting a tree; "the tree split with a great ripping sound"; "heard a rending roar as the crowd surged forward" [syn: {ripping}, {splitting}]
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