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Rend One's Garments

What Does "Rend One's Garments" Mean?

homeidiomsRend One's Garments
"Rend one's garments" is an English idiom. It means "a dramatic or symbolic gesture of grief, anger, or distress, often associated with tearing one's clothing as a sign of extreme emotion or sorrow."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "rend one's garments" used in a sentence:
  • Upon hearing the tragic news, he rend his garments in despair and disbelief.
  • The character in the play rend her garments as a symbolic expression of her loss and anguish.
  • In some cultures, rending one's garments is a traditional practice during times of mourning.
meaning for rend one's garments

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Rend One's Garments" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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