To rip, tear, or split something apart into smaller pieces. ("Rend" conjugates to either "rent" or, less commonly, "rended" in the past tense and past participle.) He rent the contract into shreds when he realized that he'd be losing out on nearly 30% of the profits. I took the loaf of bread and rended it into pieces to share amongst the other starving children. The huge barbarian threatened to rend his opponent in twain.