Shred.

To shred is to tear or cut something into small, thin pieces. This can be done deliberately, such as when preparing ingredients for a recipe, or accidentally, such as when paper gets caught in a malfunctioning machine. The resulting fragments are also referred to as 'shreds'. Shredding often implies a destructive act, but it can also be a precise process, particularly in the case of preparing food items like cheese or vegetables. Beyond the literal act, 'shred' can also describe a figurative destruction or ruin of something abstract, like a reputation or an argument. The term implies a complete breakdown into small parts or insignificance. The process can vary in scale from delicate tearing by hand to the aggressive pulverization by industrial equipment.

Shred. meaning with examples

• I carefully shredded the lettuce for the salad, ensuring each leaf was in bite-sized pieces. The fresh, crisp lettuce added a refreshing crunch to the dish. The process helped enhance the overall texture and flavor of the salad. Shredding vegetables can dramatically improve their palatability. With each careful slice, I anticipated the salad's deliciousness.
• The confidential documents were fed into the shredder to ensure that sensitive information was irretrievable. This action aimed to protect the company from legal and ethical harm. The machine effectively destroyed all the old records, creating piles of waste paper. This was done to comply with strict privacy laws. The paper had to be shred and made unreadable.
• The politician's career was shredded by the scandal, leaving his reputation in tatters and support base diminished. The media storm and public outcry destroyed his career. His influence dwindled to nothing. He felt ruined by this revelation that changed the public view.
• After the intense debate, the lawyer skillfully shredded his opponent's arguments one by one, leaving the opposing team unable to respond. His sharp analysis and clear facts demolished any chance of the opponents winning. The skilled presentation and evidence made the argument invalid. He had totally prevailed.