abreißen

Part of speech: verb
Basic idea: something is “torn off” or “pulled down,” and by extension something “stops abruptly.”

Meanings

1. To tear off / rip off (something attached)

   • ein Plakat abreißen = to tear down/off a poster
   • eine Blume abreißen = to pluck (tear off) a flower

2. To demolish / tear down (a building or structure)

   • ein Haus abreißen = to demolish a house

3. (Figurative / intransitive) To break off suddenly / to stop abruptly

   • Der Kontakt reißt ab. = contact breaks off / is interrupted
   • Das Gespräch riss ab. = the conversation broke off
   • Der Applaus riss nicht ab. = the applause didn’t let up (didn’t stop)

4. (Clothing, materials) To rip / to tear

   • Die Hose ist abgerissen. = the trousers tore / ripped (off)

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Word parts

• ab-: separative prefix meaning “off, away, down”
• reißen: “to tear, to rip, to pull violently”

So abreißen literally suggests “to tear off / tear away,” and can also mean “to tear down” (demolish) or “to break off” (interrupt).

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German synonyms (depending on meaning)

• tear off / remove by tearing: abtrennen, abmachen, losreißen, herunterreißen
• demolish: niederreißen, demolieren, abtragen
• break off / be interrupted: abbr echen, unterbrechen, enden, versiegen (e.g., applause), abbrechen lassen (transitive)

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German antonyms (depending on meaning)

• tear off / remove: befestigen, anbringen, ankleben, anheften
• demolish: aufbauen, errichten, aufstellen
• break off / stop abruptly: fortsetzen, weitergehen, andauern, anhalten (in the sense “continue”)