wear

to bear or have in one's aspect or appearance: to wear a smile;to wear an air of triumph.

to cause (garments, linens, etc.) to deteriorate or change by wear: Hard use has worn these gloves.

to impair, deteriorate, or consume gradually by use or any continued process: Long illness had worn the bloom from her cheeks.

to waste or diminish gradually by rubbing, scraping, washing, etc.: The waves have worn these rocks.

to make (a hole, channel, way, etc.) by such action.

to bring about or cause a specified condition in (a person or thing) by use, deterioration, or gradual change: You'll wear that outfit to rags if you don't take better care of it.Years of hard labor had worn him to a shadow.

to weary; fatigue; exhaust: Toil and care soon wear the spirit.

to pass (time) gradually or tediously (usually followed by away or out): We wore the afternoon away in arguing.

Nautical. to bring (a vessel) on another tack by turning until the wind is on the stern.

British Dialect. to gather and herd (sheep or cattle) to a pen or pasture.

(of time) to pass, especially slowly or tediously (often followed by on or away): As the day wore on, we had less and less to talk about.

to have the quality of being easy or difficult to tolerate, especially after a relatively long association: It's hard to get to know him, but he wears well.

Nautical. (of a vessel) to come round on another tack by turning away from the wind.

Obsolete. to be commonly worn; to be in fashion.

clothing or other articles for wearing; especially when fashionable or appropriate for a particular function (often used in combination): travel wear;sportswear.

gradual impairment, wasting, diminution, etc., as from use: The carpet shows wear.

the quality of resisting deterioration with use; durability.

(tr) to have in one's aspect: to wear a smile

(tr) to display, show, or fly: a ship wears its colours

to deteriorate or cause to deteriorate by constant use or action

to produce or be produced by constant rubbing, scraping, etc: to wear a hole in one's trousers

to bring or be brought to a specified condition by constant use or action: to wear a tyre to shreds

(intr) to submit to constant use or action in a specified way: his suit wears well

(tr) to harass or weaken

(when intr, often foll by on) (of time) to pass or be passed slowly

(tr) British slang to accept: Larry won't wear that argument

wear ship to change the tack of a sailing vessel, esp a square-rigger, by coming about so that the wind passes astern

deterioration from constant or normal use or action

the quality of resisting the effects of constant use