From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishin shredsin shredsa) TEARtorn in many places Uncle Earl was exhausted and his shirt hung in shreds. b) DESTROYcompletely ruined His ambitious plan was in shreds. If Myra gossips about this, my reputation will be in shreds. → shred
Examples from the Corpus
in shreds• Their countries' economies are in shreds, they themselves are suffering as never before.• By the last sibling it would be in shreds.• A terrified child had burst through the door, cloak of adolescent false courage in shreds.• Earl's shirt hung in shreds and one of his eyes was swollen shut.• A series of violent attacks has left the peace talks in shreds.• Newport were in shreds as Marcus Hannaford cleaned up for the third try.• Another android, one of its wings in shreds, fluttered towards the grey-brown expanse below.• And it was another Jezrael that Eiker had left behind in Witwaterstrand in shreds. 