6 N‑UNCOUNT Wear is the damage or change that is caused by something being used a lot or for a long time. □ …a large, well-upholstered armchair which showed signs of wear.
7 VERB If something wears , it becomes thinner or weaker because it is constantly being used over a long period of time. □ [V ] The stone steps, dating back to 1855, are beginning to wear. □ [V adj] Your horse needs new shoes if the shoe has worn thin or smooth.
8 VERB You can use wear to talk about how well something lasts over a period of time. For example, if something wears well , it still seems quite new or useful after a long time or a lot of use. □ [V adv] Ten years on, the original concept was wearing well.
9 PHRASE If one person in a couple, especially the woman, wears the pants , or in British English wears the trousers , they are the one who makes all the decisions. [INFORMAL ] □ She may give the impression that she wears the trousers but it's Tim who makes the final decisions.
10 PHRASE [usu cont] If your patience or temper is wearing thin , you are becoming annoyed and are likely to get angry soon. □ He was sympathetic at first but his patience soon wore thin.
11 PHRASE [usu cont] If you say that something is wearing thin , you mean that people do not find it funny or interesting any more and are becoming annoyed with it, because they have seen or heard it so many times. □ Some of Wilson's eccentricities are beginning to wear thin.
12 PHRASE If you say that someone is the worse for wear , you mean that they are tired, ill, or in a bad state because they have been very active, been through a difficult experience, or been drinking alcohol. [INFORMAL ] □ He arrived on January 9, disheveled and much the worse for wear.
▸ wear away PHRASAL VERB If you wear something away or if it wears away , it becomes thin and eventually disappears because it is used a lot or rubbed a lot. □ [V P n] It had a saddle with springs sticking out, which wore away the seat of my pants. □ [V P ] The softer rock wears away. [Also V n P ]
▸ wear down
1 PHRASAL VERB If you wear something down or if it wears down , it becomes flatter or smoother as a result of constantly rubbing against something else. □ [V P n] Extreme changes in temperature can wear down the top layer of your skin. □ [V P ] The machines start to wear down, they don't make as many nuts and bolts as they used to. □ [V n P ] Elephants wear the tusk down faster than they can grow it.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you wear someone down , you make them gradually weaker or less determined until they eventually do what you want. □ [V P n] They hoped the waiting and the uncertainty would wear down my resistance. □ [V n P ] He believed that he could wear her down if he only asked often enough.
▸ wear off PHRASAL VERB If a sensation or feeling wears off , it disappears slowly until it no longer exists or has any effect. □ [V P ] For many the philosophy was merely a fashion, and the novelty soon wore off. □ [V P ] Now that the initial shock was wearing off, he was in considerable pain.
▸ wear on PHRASAL VERB If you say that time wears on , you mean that it passes, especially when it seems to pass slowly. □ [V P ] As the day wore on, Brand found himself increasingly impressed.
▸ wear out
1 PHRASAL VERB When something wears out or when you wear it out , it is used so much that it becomes thin or weak and unable to be used any more. □ [V P ] Every time she consulted her watch, she wondered if the batteries were wearing out. □ [V n P ] Horses used for long-distance riding tend to wear their shoes out more quickly. □ [V P n] He wore out his shoes wandering around Mexico City.
2 PHRASAL VERB If something wears you out , it makes you feel extremely tired. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n P ] The past few days had really worn him out. □ The young people run around kicking a ball, wearing themselves out. □ [V P n] The effect of the continuous attacks has been to wear out his troops.
3 → see also worn out
wear|able /weə rəb ə l/
1 ADJ Wearable clothes are practical, comfortable, and suitable for ordinary people to wear, rather than being very unusual or extreme. □ It's fashionable but wearable, and it's easy to look after.
2 ADJ A wearable electronic device is designed to be worn on the body. □ …wearable technology.
wear and tear /weə r ən teə r / N‑UNCOUNT Wear and tear is the damage or change that is caused to something when it is being used normally. □ [+ on ] …the problem of wear and tear on the equipment in the harsh desert conditions.
wear|er /weə rə r / (wearers ) N‑COUNT [n N ] You can use wearer to indicate that someone is wearing a certain thing on a particular occasion or that they often wear a certain thing. □ These suits are designed to protect the wearer from cold shock as they enter the water. □ The mascara is suitable for contact lens wearers. [Also + of ]
wear|ing /weə r I ŋ/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you say that a situation or activity is wearing , you mean that it requires a lot of energy and makes you feel mentally or physically tired. □ She finds the continual confrontation very wearing.
wea|ri|some /w I ə r I səm/ ADJ If you describe something as wearisome , you mean that it is very tiring and boring or frustrating. [FORMAL ] □ …a long and wearisome journey. □ Sympathising with him eventually becomes somewhat wearisome.
wea|ry /w I ə ri/ (wearies , wearying , wearied , wearier , weariest )
1 ADJ If you are weary , you are very tired. □ Rachel looked pale and weary. □ …a weary traveller.
2 ADJ If you are weary of something, you have become tired of it and have lost your enthusiasm for it. □ [+ of ] They're getting awfully weary of this silly war.