English

Alternative forms

• teargas

Noun

tear gas ‎(plural tear gases)

1. Any lachrymatory non-lethal chemical compound that causes the eyes to sting and water and/or irritates the respiratory system, mostly used for controlling crowds during riots or as self-defense.
   • 2013 June 7, Gary Younge, “Hypocrisy lies at heart of Manning prosecution”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 18:

     The dispatches […] also exposed the blatant discrepancy between the west's professed values and actual foreign policies. Having lectured the Arab world about democracy for years, its collusion in suppressing freedom was undeniable as protesters were met by weaponry and tear gas made in the west, employed by a military trained by westerners.

Related terms

• CS gas
• CN gas
• pepper spray
• mace

Translations

Verb

tear gas ‎(third-person singular simple present tear gases, present participle tear gassing, simple past and past participle tear gassed)

1. To use tear gas.

   The riot squad tear gassed the mob.