First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1wear
verb \ˈwer\
: to use or have (something) as clothing : to have (a shirt, pants, etc.) over part of your body
: to use or have (something) on your body
: to grow or arrange (your hair) in a particular way
wore \ˈwȯr\ worn \ˈwȯrn\ wear·ing
Full Definition of WEAR
transitive verb
1
: to bear or have on the person <wore a coat>
2
a : to use habitually for clothing, adornment, or assistance <wears a size 10> <wear glasses> b : to carry on the person <wear a sword>
3
4
a : to cause to deteriorate by use b : to impair or diminish by use or attrition : consume or waste gradually <letters on the stone worn away by weathering>
5
: to produce gradually by friction or attrition <wear a hole in the rug>
7
: to cause (a ship) to go about with the stern presented to the wind
8
British : to accept or tolerate without complaint : put up with —usually used in negative constructions <your mates wouldn't wear it — Colin MacInnes>
9
: take on 3a
intransitive verb
1
a : to endure use : last under use or the passage of time <material that will wear for years> b : to retain quality or vitality <the classics wear well>
2
a : to diminish or decay through use <the heels of his shoes began to wear> b : to diminish or fail with the passage of time <the effect of the drug wore off> <the day wore on> c : to grow or become by attrition or use <the blade wore dull>
3
of a ship : to change to an opposite tack by turning the stern to the wind — compare tack
— wear·er noun
— wear the trousers or wear the pants
: to have the controlling authority in a household
— wear thin
1
: to become weak or ready to give way <my patience was wearing thin>
2
: to become trite, unconvincing, or out-of-date <an argument that quickly wore thin>
See wear defined for English-language learners
See wear defined for kids
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Origin of WEAR
Middle English weren, from Old English werian; akin to Old Norse verja to clothe, invest, spend, Latin vestis clothing, garment, Greek hennynai to clothe
Related to WEAR
Rhymes with WEAR
air, Ayr, bare, bear, Blair, blare, care, chair, chare, dare, Dare, e'er, ere, err, eyre, fair, fare, flair, flare, glair, glare, hair, hare, Herr, heir, lair, mare, ne'er, pair, pare, pear, prayer, rare, rear, scare, share, snare, spare, square, stair, stare, swear, tare, tear, their, there, vair, ware, weir, where, yare
2wear
noun
: the act of using something as clothing : the act of wearing something
: the act of using something
: clothing that is designed for a specified kind of person, occasion, or use
Full Definition of WEAR
2
3
: wearing quality : durability under use
4
: the result of wearing or use : diminution or impairment due to use <wear-resistant surface>
See wear defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of WEAR
15th century
Related to WEAR
- Synonyms
- wear and tear
Other Clothing Terms
Wear
geographical name \ˈwir\
Definition of WEAR
river 67 miles (108 kilometers) N England flowing into North Sea at Sunderland
WEAR Defined for Kids
1wear
verb \ˈwer\
wore \ˈwȯr\worn \ˈwȯrn\wear·ing
Definition of WEAR for Kids
1
: to use as an article of clothing or decoration <He's wearing boots.> <She wears a ribbon in her hair.>
2
: to carry or use on the body <I am wearing perfume.>
3
: 1show 1 <He always wears a smile.>
4
: to damage, waste, or produce by continued use <… I had gone … by a different way so as not to wear a trail. — Scott O'Dell, Island of the Blue Dolphins>
5
: to make tired
6
: to last through long use <The cloth wears well.>
7
: to lessen or end with the passing of time <The day wore on.>
— wear·er noun
— wear out
1
: to make useless by long or hard use
2
: 1tire 1
2wear
noun
Definition of WEAR for Kids
1
: the act of wearing : the state of being worn
2
: clothing for a particular group or for a particular occasion <children's wear> <rain wear>
3
: damage caused by use
Learn More About WEAR
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