wear (wâr)

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[Middle English weren, from Old English werian.]

verb: wore (wôr, wōr), worn (wôrn, wōrn), wear·ing, wears. 

transitive verb 

1. To carry or have on the person as covering, adornment, or protection: wearing a jacket; must wear a seat belt.
2. To carry or have habitually on the person, especially as an aid: wears glasses.
3. To display in one's appearance: always wears a smile.
4. To bear, carry, or maintain in a particular manner: wears her hair long.
5. To fly or display (colors). Used of a ship, jockey, or knight.
6. To damage, diminish, erode, or consume by long or hard use, attrition, or exposure. Often used with away, down, or off: rocks worn away by the sea; shoes worn down at the heels.
7. To produce by constant use, attrition, or exposure: eventually wore hollows in the stone steps.
8. To bring to a specified condition by long use or attrition: wore the clothes to rags; pebbles worn smooth.
9. To fatigue, weary, or exhaust: Your incessant criticism has worn my patience.
10. Nautical To make (a sailing ship) come about with the wind aft.

intransitive verb 

1. 1. To last under continual or hard use: a fabric that will wear.
   2. To last through the passage of time: a friendship that wears well.
2. To break down or diminish through use or attrition: The rear tires began to wear.
3. To pass gradually or tediously: The hours wore on.
4. Nautical To come about with stern to windward.

noun 

1. The act of wearing or the state of being worn; use: The coat has had heavy wear.
2. Clothing, especially of a particular kind or for a particular use. Often used in combination: rainwear; footwear.
3. Gradual impairment or diminution resulting from use or attrition.
4. The ability to withstand impairment from use or attrition: The engine has plenty of wear left.

phrasal verbs

wear down

To break down or exhaust by relentless pressure or resistance.

wear off

To diminish gradually in effect: The drug wore off.

wear out

To make or become unusable through long or heavy use.

To use up or consume gradually.

To exhaust; tire.

Chiefly Southern U.S. To punish by spanking.

idioms

wear the pants

To exercise controlling authority in a household.

wear thin

To be weakened or eroded gradually: Her patience is wearing thin. To become less convincing, acceptable, or popular, as through repeated use: excuses that are wearing thin.

derivatives

weaŕer

noun