shredding

US: (shred′ing)

From the verb shred: (⇒ conjugate)

shredding is: ⓘ

v pres p

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

shred•ding  (shred′ing), n. 

1. furring attached to the undersides of rafters.

Also, shread′ing. 

• origin, originally uncertain 1660–70

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

shred /ʃrɛd/   n., v., shred•ded or shred, shred•ding. 
n. [countable]

1. a piece cut or torn off, esp. in a narrow strip.
2. a bit;
   scrap:
   not a shred of evidence.

v. 

3. • [~ + object] to cut or tear into small pieces:
     He has a machine that shreds documents.
   • [no object] to form shreds, as by being cut or torn:
     The paper shreds easily.

shred•der, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

shred  (shred), n., v., shred•ded or shred, shred•ding. 
n. 

1. a piece cut or torn off, esp. in a narrow strip.
2. a bit;
   scrap:
   We haven't got a shred of evidence.

v.t. 

3. to cut or tear into small pieces, esp. small strips;
   reduce to shreds.

v.i. 

4. to be cut up, torn, etc.:
   The blouse had shredded.

• bef. 1000; (noun, nominal) Middle English schrede, Old English scrēade; cognate with Old Norse skrjōthr worn-out book, German Schrot chips; (verb, verbal) Middle English schreden, Old English scrēadian to pare, trim; akin to shroud; compare screed

shred′less, adj. 
shred′like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

shred / ʃrɛd/ noun

1. a long narrow strip or fragment torn or cut off
2. a very small piece or amount; scrap

verb (shreds, shredding, shredded, shred)

1. (transitive) to tear or cut into shreds
2. (intransitive) to play a musical instrument with great speed and skill

Etymology: Old English scread; related to Old Norse skrjōthr torn-up book, Old High German scrōt cut-off piece; see scroll, shroud, screed

ˈshredder noun