The spelling of the word "rends air" is quite unique, and its pronunciation can be confusing for non-native English speakers. IPA phonetic transcription reveals that "rends" is pronounced as /rɛnds/, rhyming with "ends," while "air" is pronounced as /ɛr/, similar to the word "bare." Together, the phrase is pronounced as /rɛnds ɛr/. The meaning of the phrase is, to tear apart or rip something or someone into pieces or shreds, often with a great deal of force.