wear

wear

wear¹ [wer]

vt.

wore, worn, wearing [ME weren < OE werian, akin to ON verja, Goth wasjan, to clothe < IE base * wes-, to clothe > Sans vastra-, L vestis, clothing, vestire, to clothe]

1.

a) to have on the body or carry on the person (clothing, jewelry, a weapon, etc.)

b) to hold the position or rank symbolized by [to wear the heavyweight crown]

c) to dress in (a specified kind of attire) so as to be in style [what college students are wearing this fall]

2. to have or show in one's expression or appearance [to wear a smile, wearing an air of expectancy]

3. to be fitted with or have on the person habitually [to wear dentures]

4. to have or bear as a characteristic or attribute [to wear a beard, to wear one's hair long]

5. to fly or show (its flag): said of a ship

6. to impair, consume, or diminish as by constant use, handling, or friction: often with away

7. to bring by use to a specified state [to wear a coat to rags]

8. to make, cause, or produce by the friction of rubbing, scraping, flowing, etc. [to wear a hole in the sole of one's shoe]

9. to tire or exhaust (a person)

10. to pass (time) slowly or tediously: often with away or out

vi.

1. to become impaired, consumed, or diminished by constant use, friction, etc. [shoes that have begun to wear]

2. to hold up in use as specified; bear continued use or handling; last [a suit that wears well]

3. to become in time; grow gradually [courage that is wearing thin]

4. to pass away gradually: often with away or on: said of time [ the year wore on ]

5. to have an irritating or exhausting effect (on) [noise wearing on our nerves]

n.

1. the act of wearing or the state of being worn

2. things, esp. clothes, worn, or for wearing, on the body [children's wear]: often in combination [sportswear, footwear]

3. the fashion or proper style of dress or the like

4.

a) the gradual impairment, loss, or diminution from use, friction, etc.

b) the amount of such loss

5. the ability to resist impairment or loss from use, friction, etc. [a lot of wear left in the tire]

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wear down

1. to make or become worn; lose or cause to lose thickness or height by use, friction, etc.

2. to tire out, or exhaust (a person); weary

3. to overcome the resistance of by persistence

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wear off

to pass awayor diminish by degrees

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wear out

1. to make or become useless from continued wear or use

2. to waste or consume by degrees

3. to tire out; exhaust

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wear the pants or wear the trousers

Informal to have the greatest authority in a family

wearer

n.

wear² [wer]

vt.

wore, worn, wearing [? altered (infl. by WEAR¹) < VEER²]

to turn or bring (a vessel) about by swinging its bow away from the wind; veer: opposed to TACK (vt. 5a)

vi.

to turn or come about by having the bow swung away from the wind

n.

the act of wearing a ship