Yahoo Web Search

Search results

1. Dictionary

   wear

   /wɛː/

   verb

   • 1. have (something) on one's body as clothing, decoration, or protection: "he was wearing a dark suit" Similar be dressed inbe clothed inhave onsportdress inclothe oneself input ondon
   • ▪ 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" Similar have (on one's face)presentshowdisplayexhibitbeargiveput onassumeform one's face intomake one's face intocompose one's face intorearrange one's face intoease one's face intosmooth one's face intodraw one's face intotwist one's face intotug one's face intopull one's face intopinch one's face intocrease one's face intocrack one's face intoscrew (up) one's face into
   • ▪ have (one's hair or beard) at a specified length or arranged in a specified style: "the students wore their hair long"
   • ▪ (of a ship) fly (a flag): "any British registered boat may wear the red ensign"
   • 2. damage, erode, or destroy by friction or use: "the track has been worn down in part to bare rock" Similar erodeabradescourscratchscraperasprub awayrub downgrind awayfretwaste awaywash awaycrumble (away)wear downcorrodeeat away (at)gnaw away (at)dissolvebite into
   • ▪ undergo damage, erosion, or destruction as a result of friction or use: "mountains are wearing down with each passing second"
   • ▪ form (a hole, path, etc.) by constant friction or use: "the water was forced up through holes it had worn"
   • ▪ withstand continued use or life in a specified way: "the leather has worn well" Similar lastendurehold upsurvivebear upkeep goingcarry onprove durablestand/withstand/resist wearstand up to weardoinformal:hang in there
   • 3. pass (a period of time) in some activity: literary "spinning long stories, wearing half the day"
   • 4. tolerate; accept: informal British "the environmental health people wouldn't wear it" Similar allowpermitauthorizesanctioncondoneindulgeagree toaccede toapprove ofendureput up withbeartakestandsupportsubmit toundergoacceptswallowtoleratebrookcountenanceadmit oftholeinformal:stickhackabidestomachbe doing witharchaic:suffer

   noun

   • 1. clothing suitable for a particular purpose or of a particular type: "evening wear" Similar clothesdressclothingattiregarbfinerygarmentsoutfitswardrobekitstripinformal:get-upgeartogsclobberformal:apparelliterary:arrayraimenthabiliments
   • ▪ the wearing of something or the state of being worn as clothing: "some new tops for wear in the evening"
   • 2. damage or deterioration sustained from continuous use: "you need to make a deduction for wear and tear on all your belongings" Similar damagewear and tearbatteringfrictionerosionattritioncorrosionabrasiondeteriorationdegenerationinformal:a few knocksrare:detrition
   • ▪ the capacity for withstanding continuous use without damage or deterioration: "the suit has about another 10 years of normal wear left in it" Similar usewearingserviceemploymentutilityvalueinformal:mileage

   Word Origin Old Englishwerian, of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin vestis ‘clothing’.

   Scrabble Points: 7

   • W

     4

   • E

     1

   • A

     1

   • R

     1

   Powered by Oxford Dictionaries

   More definitions, origin and scrabble points