Etymology: Middle English weren, from Old English werian; akin to Old Norse verja to clothe, invest, spend, Latin vestis clothing, garment, Greek hennynai to clothe
Date: before 12th century
transitive verb1: 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 a: to hold the rank or dignity or position signified by (an ornament) <wear the royal crown>b:exhibit, present<wore a happy smile><commend the book for wearing its research so lightly — Brad Leithauser>c: to show or fly (a flag or colors) on a ship 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> 6: to exhaust or lessen the strength of :weary, fatigue 7: to cause (a ship) to go about with the stern presented to the wind 8British: 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 3aintransitive verb1 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> 3of a ship: to change to an opposite tack by turning the stern to the wind — compare tack
— wear·ernoun
— wear on:irritate, fray<the constant beeping wore on my nerves>
— wear the trousers or wear the pants: to have the controlling authority in a household
— wear thin1: 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 2: to become trite, unconvincing, or out-of-date 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>
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