wear
13 ENTRIES FOUND:
Britannica Dictionary definition of WEAR
[+ object]
1
a
:
to use or have (something) as clothing
:
to have (a shirt, pants, etc.) over part of your body
-
He was wearing blue jeans.
-
She wore a red blouse to work.
-
White coats are often worn by doctors.
b
:
to use or have (something) on your body
-
I don't wear glasses.
-
He doesn't wear a watch.
-
Are you wearing perfume?
-
a badge worn by police officers
-
Were you wearing a seat belt?
c
:
to grow or arrange (your hair) in a particular way
-
She wears her hair in a ponytail.
-
I used to wear my hair long.
-
He wears [=has] a beard now.
2
:
to have or show (something, such as an emotion or facial expression) especially on your face
-
The teacher was wearing a frown/smile.
-
I guess I wear my heart on my sleeve. [=show my emotions in an obvious way]
3
a
:
to cause (something) to become thinner, weaker, etc., because of continued use over time
— used as (be) worn
-
The carpet was badly worn in some areas.
b
:
to cause (something) to form gradually because of use
-
He wore a hole in his pants.
-
A path had been worn into the grass.
4
somewhat formal
:
to make (someone) very tired
-
soldiers worn by the strain of war
wear away
[phrasal verb]
wear away
or
wear (something) away
or
wear away (something)
:
to gradually disappear or to cause (something) to gradually disappear or become thinner, smaller, etc., because of use
— often used as (be) worn away
-
The paint on the sign had worn away.
-
Even a trickle of water will eventually wear rock away.
-
The table's finish was worn away.
wear down
[phrasal verb]
1
wear (someone) down
or
wear down (someone)
:
to make (someone) tired or weak
-
The pressure at home and at work was wearing her down.
2
:
to convince (someone) to do what you want by trying again and again
-
She pleaded until she had worn her parents down and they agreed to let her go to the party.
wear many hats
wear off
[phrasal verb]
:
to gradually decrease, disappear, or stop
-
The painkillers wore off [=stopped having an effect; stopped decreasing or removing pain] after a couple of hours.
-
The shine on the leather will wear off pretty quickly. [=the leather will no longer be shiny after a short time]
-
After you drive a new car for a while, the novelty wears off. [=it is no longer exciting or new]
wear on
[phrasal verb]
1
wear on (someone)
:
to annoy or bother (someone)
-
Their constant talking was wearing on me.
2
:
to continue in a way that seems slow
-
As their visit wore on [=dragged on] she started hinting that it was time to leave.
-
as the day wore on
wear out
[phrasal verb]
1
wear (someone) out
or
wear out (someone)
:
to make (someone) tired
-
All that work in the yard yesterday really wore me out.
-
She was worn out [=exhausted] from exercising.
2
wear out
or
wear (something) out
or
wear out (something)
:
to become thinner, weaker, or no longer useful because of use or to cause (something) to become thinner, weaker, or no longer useful because of use
— often used as (be) worn out
-
The tires wore out after 60,000 miles.
-
You'll wear out your shoes doing that.
-
The tape is worn out.
wear out your welcome
wear the pants
(US) or British wear the trousers
:
to be the leader
:
to make decisions for a group of people
-
She wears the pants [=she is in charge] in that family.
wear thin
1
:
to become weak or ineffective
-
I'd been waiting almost an hour, and my patience was wearing thin. [=I was losing patience; I was beginning to get annoyed/upset]
2
:
to become ineffective or uninteresting because of being too familiar or used too often
-
The comedy's plot relies on a case of mistaken identity, but the joke wears thin.
-
His charm is beginning to wear thin.
3
:
to become thin because of use
-
The rug by the door is wearing thin and needs to be replaced.
wear through
[phrasal verb]
wear through (something)
or
wear (something) through
:
to use (something) so much that a hole develops in it
-
I've worn through two pairs of work shoes since I started this job.
wear well
1
:
to remain in good condition after being used
-
The floor wears well even in high traffic areas.
2
informal + humorous
:
to look younger than you are
-
For 70, she's wearing well.
— wearer
noun, plural wearers [count]-
Some clothes look good on some wearers but not others.
2
wear
/ˈweɚ/
noun
2
wear
/ˈweɚ/
noun
Britannica Dictionary definition of WEAR
[noncount]
1
a
:
the act of using something as clothing
:
the act of wearing something
-
shoes that are perfect for everyday wear
b
:
the act of using something
-
The deck is built to withstand years of wear.
-
I got a lot of wear out of these boots.
3
:
damage that is caused by use
-
The carpet is showing signs of wear.
-
You should inspect the tires for wear.
wear and tear
:
damage that happens to something when it is used for a period of time
-
The apartment showed no damage other than normal wear and tear.
worse for (the) wear
◊ Someone or something that is slightly/somewhat/much (etc.) (the) worse for (the) wear looks worse after doing or experiencing something.
-
He came out of basic training only slightly the worse for wear.
-
The kids emerged from the woods looking none the worse for wear. [=looking no worse than they had looked before]
