Definition for wear - Oxford Dictionaries Online (World English)

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	wear1 (wear) Pronunciation: /wɛː/ verb (past wore /wɔː/; past participle worn /wɔːn/) 1 [with object] have (something) on one’s body as clothing, decoration, or protection: he was wearing a dark suit firemen wearing breathing apparatus habitually have on one’s body or be dressed in: although she was a widow, she didn’t wear black exhibit or present (a particular facial expression or appearance): they wear a frozen smile on their faces [with object and complement or adverbial] have (one’s hair or beard) at a specified length or arranged in a specified style: the students wore their hair long Nautical (of a ship) fly (a flag): any British registered boat may wear the red ensign 2 [with object and adverbial or complement] damage, erode, or destroy by friction or use: the track has been worn down in part to bare rock shells worn smooth by the sea [no object, with adverbial or complement] undergo such damage, erosion, or destruction: mountains are wearing down with each passing second [with object] form (a hole, path, etc.) by constant friction or use: the water was forced up through holes it had worn [no object, with adverbial] withstand continued use or life in a specified way: a carpet that seems to wear well 3 [with object] literary pass (a period of time) in some activity: spinning long stories, wearing half the day 4 [with object, usually with negative] British informal tolerate; accept: the environmental health people wouldn’t wear it noun [mass noun] 1 [with modifier or in combination] clothing suitable for a particular purpose or of a particular type: evening wear the wearing of something or the state of being worn as clothing: some new tops for wear in the evening 2damage or deterioration sustained from continuous use: you need to make a deduction for wear and tear* on all your belongings* the capacity for withstanding continuous use without such damage: the suit has about another 10 years of normal wear left in it Phrases wear one's heart on one's sleeve see heart wear oneself to a shadow see shadow wear thin be gradually used up or become less convincing or acceptable: his patience was wearing thin the joke had started to wear thin wear the trousers see trousers Phrasal Verbs wear someone/thing down overcome someone or something by persistence: initially, she protested, but he wore down her resistance wear off lose effectiveness or intensity: the effects of the drug were wearing off wear on (of a period of time) pass, especially slowly or tediously: as the afternoon wore on he began to look unhappy wear something out (also wear out) use or be used until no longer in good condition or working order: wearing out the stair carpet the type was used again and again until it wore out wear someone/thing out exhaust or tire someone or something: an hour of this wandering wore him out Derivatives wearability Pronunciation: /-ˈbɪlɪti/ noun wearable adjective wearer noun Origin: Old English werian, of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin vestis 'clothing'		Search results in the dictionary wear² evening wear ready-to-wear Tyne and Wear wash-and-wear wear the trousers in trousers (also a pair of trousers) More results » Nearby Words wean ¹ wean ² weaner weanling weapon weapon of mass destruction weaponize weaponry weapons-grade wear ¹ wear ² weariness wearing wearing course wearisome weary wearying weasel weasel's snout