DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan
Wear, v. t. [imp. Wore p. p. Worn p. pr. & vb. n. Wearing. Before the 15th century wear was a weak verb, the imp. & p. p. being Weared.]
1. To carry or bear upon the person; to bear upon one's self, as an article of clothing, decoration, warfare, bondage, etc.; to have appendant to one's body; to have on; as, to wear a coat; to wear a shackle.
What compass will you wear your farthingale? --Shak.
On her white breast a sparkling cross she wore,
Which Jews might kiss, and infidels adore. --Pope.
2. To have or exhibit an appearance of, as an aspect or manner; to bear; as, she wears a smile on her countenance. “He wears the rose of youth upon him.”
His innocent gestures wear
A meaning half divine. --Keble.
3. To use up by carrying or having upon one's self; hence, to consume by use; to waste; to use up; as, to wear clothes rapidly.
4. To impair, waste, or diminish, by continual attrition, scraping, percussion, on the like; to consume gradually; to cause to lower or disappear; to spend.
That wicked wight his days doth wear. --Spenser.
The waters wear the stones. --Job xiv. 19.
5. To cause or make by friction or wasting; as, to wear a channel; to wear a hole.
6. To form or shape by, or as by, attrition.
Trials wear us into a liking of what, possibly, in the first essay, displeased us. --Locke.
To wear away, to consume; to impair, diminish, or destroy, by gradual attrition or decay.
To wear off, to diminish or remove by attrition or slow decay; as, to wear off the nap of cloth.
To wear on or To wear upon, to wear. [Obs.] “[I] weared upon my gay scarlet gites [gowns.]” --Chaucer.
To wear out. (a) To consume, or render useless, by attrition or decay; as, to wear out a coat or a book. (b) To consume tediously. “To wear out miserable days.” --Milton. (c) To harass; to tire. “[He] shall wear out the saints of the Most High.” --Dan vii. 25. (d) To waste the strength of; as, an old man worn out in military service.
To wear the breeches. See under Breeches. [Colloq.]