shred Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a tiny or scarcely detectable amount
    smidge; smidgeon; scintilla; iota; smidgin; whit; smidgen; tittle.
  2. noun a small piece of cloth or paper
    rag; tatter; tag; tag end.
  3. verb tear into shreds
    rip up; tear up.

WordNet

Shred noun
Etymology
OE. shrede, schrede, AS. screáde; akin to OD. schroode, G. schrot a piece cut off, Icel. skrjothr a shred, and to E. shroud. Cf. Screed, Scroll, Scrutiny.
Definitions
  1. A long, narrow piece cut or torn off; a strip. "Shreds of tanned leather." Bacon.
  2. In general, a fragment; a piece; a particle. Shak.
Shred transitive verb
Etymology
OE. shreden, schreden, AS. screádian; akin to OD. schrooden, OHG. scrtan, G. schroten. See Shred, n.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Shred or Shredded ; present participle & verbal noun Shredding
Definitions
  1. To cut or tear into small pieces, particularly narrow and long pieces, as of cloth or leather. Chaucer.
  2. To lop; to prune; to trim. Obs.

Webster 1913