wear

verb

1. 1

   To have on: To carry or have equipped on or about one's body, as an item of clothing, equipment, decoration, perfume, etc.

   He's wearing some nice pants today.

   She wore her medals with pride.

   Please wear your seatbelt.

   Can you wear makeup and sunscreen at the same time?

2. 2

   To have on: To have or carry on one's person habitually, consistently; or, to maintain in a particular fashion or manner.

   He wears eyeglasses.

   She wears her hair in braids.

   It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.

3. 3

   To have on: To bear or display in one's aspect or appearance.

   She wore a smile all day.

   He walked out of the courtroom wearing an air of satisfaction.

   Then the bridegroom came slowly up the walk, wearing a very unbridegroomlike aspect, […]

4. 4

   To erode: To eat away at, erode, diminish, or consume gradually; to cause a gradual deterioration in; to produce (some change) through attrition, exposure, or constant use.

   You're going to wear a hole in the bottom of those shoes.

   The water has slowly worn a channel into these rocks.

   Long illness had worn the bloom from her cheeks.

   Exile had worn the man to a shadow.

5. 5

   To erode: To undergo gradual deterioration; become impaired; be reduced or consumed gradually due to any continued process, activity, or use.

   The tiles were wearing thin due to years of children's feet.

   His stock of money[…] began to wear very low.

   The family that had raised it wore out in the earlier part of this century

6. 6

   To erode: To exhaust, fatigue, expend, or weary.

   His neverending criticism has finally worn my patience.

   Toil and care soon wear the spirit.

   Our physical advantage allowed us to wear the other team out and win.

   Our ſoules, whoſe faculties can comprehend The wondrous Architecture of the world: And meaſure euery wandring planets courſe, Still climing after knowledge infinite, And alwaies mouing as the reſtles ſpheares, Wils vs to weare our ſelues & neuer reſt, […]

7. 7

   To erode: (in the phrase "wearing on (someone)") To cause annoyance, irritation, fatigue, or weariness near the point of an exhaustion of patience.

   Her high pitched voice is really wearing on me lately.

8. 8

   To endure: To overcome one's reluctance and endure a (previously specified) situation.

   I know you don't like working with him, but you'll just have to wear it.

9. 9

   To endure: To last or remain durable under hard use or over time; to retain usefulness, value, or desirable qualities under any continued strain or long period of time; sometimes said of a person, regarding the quality of being easy or difficult to tolerate.

   Don't worry, this fabric will wear. These pants will last you for years.

   This color wears so well. I must have washed this sweater a thousand times.

   I have to say, our friendship has worn pretty well.

   It's hard to get to know him, but he wears well.

10. 10

    To endure: To pass slowly, gradually or tediously.

    wear on, wear away.

    As the years wore on, we seemed to have less and less in common.

    Away, I say; time wears.

    Thus wore out night.

11. 11

    To bring (a sailing vessel) onto the other tack by bringing the wind around the stern (as opposed to tacking when the wind is brought around the bow); to come round on another tack by turning away from the wind.

noun

1. 1

   Clothing.

   footwear; outdoor wear; maternity wear

2. 2

   Damage to the appearance and/or strength of an item caused by use over time.

   Now, I still think that for this box of matches to have escaped the wear of time for immemorial years was a most strange, as for me it was a most fortunate, thing.

3. 3

   Fashion.

   Motley's the onely weare.

4. 4

   Wearing.

   It is obvious, of course, that a cylinder so applied is not for constant wear, and it is not intended in any way to correct any error of refraction, but is used merely as an exercise for a few minutes at a time at repeated intervals. In case of Oblique Astigmatism the wearing of the correction will frequently fail to give satisfaction when complicated by oblique muscular trouble, […]

   Prolonged wear of the interceptor body armor outer tactical vest (OTV) is frequently blamed for common complaints of neck and shoulder pain. […] Even if patients improved after a period of light duty and shoulder rehabilitation, many complained of pain after returning to OTV wear when their shoulders again became the focal point of weight distribution.

   Softer crystals are best reserved for occasional wear, whereas harder crystals can be worn every day.

verb

1. 1

   To guard; watch; keep watch, especially from entry or invasion.

2. 2

   To defend; protect.

3. 3

   To ward off; prevent from approaching or entering; drive off; repel.

   to wear the wolf from the sheep

4. 4

   To conduct or guide with care or caution, as into a fold or place of safety.

noun

1. 1

   Variant of weirdatedDated form of weir.

   Cool and clear, cool and clear, / By shining shingle, and foaming wear;

Forms

plural

wears

past tense

wore, ware, weared

past participle

worn, wore, worne, weared

present participle

wearing

third person singular

wears