Wear

Pronunciation: wōr

v. t.

(Naut.) To cause to go about, as a vessel, by putting the helm up, instead of alee as in tacking, so that the vessel's bow is turned away from, and her stern is presented to, the wind, and, as she turns still farther, her sails fill on the other side; to veer.

[imp. Wore (wōr); p. p. Worn (wōrn); p. pr. & vb. n. Wearing. Before the 15th century wear was a weak verb, the imp. & p. p. being Weared.]

To carry or bear upon the person; to bear upon one's self, as an article of clothing, decoration, warfare, bondage, etc.; to have appendant to one's body; to have on; as, to wear a coat; to wear a shackle.

What compass will you wear your farthingale?

- Shak.

On her white breast a sparkling cross she wore,
Which Jews might kiss, and infidels adore.

- Pope.

To have or exhibit an appearance of, as an aspect or manner; to bear; as, she wears a smile on her countenance.

His innocent gestures wear
A meaning half divine.

- Keble.

To use up by carrying or having upon one's self; hence, to consume by use; to waste; to use up; as, to wear clothes rapidly.

To impair, waste, or diminish, by continual attrition, scraping, percussion, on the like; to consume gradually; to cause to lower or disappear; to spend.

That wicked wight his days doth wear.

- Spenser.

The waters wear the stones.

- Job xiv. 19.

To cause or make by friction or wasting; as, to wear a channel; to wear a hole.

To form or shape by, or as by, attrition.

Trials wear us into a liking of what, possibly, in the first essay, displeased us.

- Locke.

To wear away
to consume; to impair, diminish, or destroy, by gradual attrition or decay.

To wear off
to diminish or remove by attrition or slow decay; as, to wear off the nap of cloth.

To wear on
to wear.

To wear out
a -	To consume, or render useless, by attrition or decay; as, to wear out a coat or a book. - Chaucer.
b -	To consume tediously.
c -	To harass; to tire. - Milton.
d -	To waste the strength of; as, an old man worn out in military service. - Dan vii. 25.

To wear the breeches
See under Breeches.

v. i.

To endure or suffer use; to last under employment; to bear the consequences of use, as waste, consumption, or attrition; as, a coat wears well or ill; - hence, sometimes applied to character, qualifications, etc.; as, a man wears well as an acquaintance.

To be wasted, consumed, or diminished, by being used; to suffer injury, loss, or extinction by use or time; to decay, or be spent, gradually.

Away, I say; time wears.

- Shak.

Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou and this people that is with thee.

- Ex. xviii. 18.

His stock of money began to wear very low.

- Sir W. Scott.

The family . . . wore out in the earlier part of the century.

- Beaconsfield.

To wear off
to pass away by degrees; as, the follies of youth wear off with age.

To wear on
to pass on; as, time wears on.

To wear weary
to become weary, as by wear, long occupation, tedious employment, etc. - G. Eliot.

The act of wearing, or the state of being worn; consumption by use; diminution by friction; as, the wear of a garment.

The thing worn; style of dress; the fashion.

Motley 's the only wear.

- Shak.

The result of wearing or use; consumption, diminution, or impairment due to use, friction, or the like; as, the wear of this coat has been good.

Wear and tear
the loss by wearing, as of machinery in use; the loss or injury to which anything is subjected by use, accident, etc.

Noun	1.	wear - impairment resulting from long use; "the tires showed uneven wear"
	2.	wear - a covering designed to be worn on a person's body Synonyms: article of clothing, clothing, vesture
	3.	wear - the act of having on your person as a covering or adornment; "she bought it for everyday wear" Synonyms: wearing
Verb	1.	wear - be dressed in; "She was wearing yellow that day" Synonyms: have on
	2.	wear - have on one's person; "He wore a red ribbon"; "bear a scar" Synonyms: bear
	3.	wear - have in one's aspect; wear an expression of one's attitude or personality; "He always wears a smile"
	4.	wear - deteriorate through use or stress; "The constant friction wore out the cloth" Synonyms: wear off, wear thin, wear out
	5.	wear - have or show an appearance of; "wear one's hair in a certain way"
	6.	wear - last and be usable; "This dress wore well for almost ten years" Synonyms: hold out, endure
	7.	wear - go to pieces; "The lawn mower finally broke"; "The gears wore out"; "The old chair finally fell apart completely" Synonyms: fall apart, wear out, bust, break
	8.	wear - exhaust or tire through overuse or great strain or stress; "We wore ourselves out on this hike" Synonyms: fag out, tire out, wear down, wear out, wear upon, weary, fatigue, jade, outwear, tire, fag
	9.	wear - put clothing on one's body; "What should I wear today?"; "He put on his best suit for the wedding"; "The princess donned a long blue dress"; "The queen assumed the stately robes"; "He got into his jeans" Synonyms: don, put on, get into, assume

WEAR. A great dam made across a river, accommodated for the taking of fish, or to convey a stream to a mill. Jacob's Law Dict. h.t. Vide Dam.

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