wear out

American  

[wair out] / ˈwɛər ˈaʊt /

verb phrase

1. to make or become unfit or useless through hard or extended use, exposure to sunlight or hard water, etc..

   Our daughter always wore out her play clothes before she outgrew them.

2. to exhaust, as by continued strain; weary.

   Your endless bickering is wearing me out.

   The people’s patience was being worn out by this tedious uncertainty and long waiting.

   Synonyms:

   drain, fatigue, tire

3. to deprive of meaning or effect by frequent repetition.

   That excuse was worn out long ago—I’m tired of hearing it.

   We’re going to wear out the words “amazing” and “incredible” if we keep overusing them.

4. to consume or remove, or be consumed or removed, especially slowly or gradually.

   Avoid placing the pavement painting where heavy foot traffic will wear out the paint faster.

---

noun

1. the act or fact of wearing out or being worn out; a worn-out condition.

   I’ve had these pants for 20 years, and they’re only now showing some wear-out at the knees.

idioms

1. wear out one's welcome. welcome.

wear out British  

verb

1. to make or become unfit or useless through wear

2. (tr) to exhaust or tire

---

wear out More Idioms  

1. Become or cause to become unusable through long or heavy use, as in She wears out her shoes in no time , or The coupling in this device has worn out . [Early 1400s]

2. Exhaust, tire, as in I was worn out from packing all those books . Also see tired out . [First half of 1500s]

---

Etymology

Origin of wear out

First recorded in 1895–1900; noun use of verb phrase wear out

Example Sentences

A rolling stone! — 'tis a saw for slaves —  Philosophy false as old — Wear out or break 'neath the feet of knaves,  Or rot in your bed of mould!

From An Anthology of Australian Verse by Stevens, Bertram

This may be liberty,—the ass, the horse, Wear out their lives in routine none the worse.

From Yorksher Puddin' A Collection of the Most Popular Dialect Stories from the Pen of John Hartley by Hartley, John

Wear out, if need be, but don't rust.

From Seed Thoughts for Singers by Tubbs, Frank Herbert

O you, who, far from liberty detain'd, Wear out existence in some slavish land, Fly thence from tyrants, and their flatt'ring throng, And bring the fiery freeborn soul along.

From The Poems of Philip Freneau, Volume I (of III) by Freneau, Philip

With gay anticipations They feasted ere a fight, But we in calculations Wear out the chilly night.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 152, March 7, 1917 by Various