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wearing |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Wear \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}.] [OE. weren, werien AS werian to carry, to wear, as arms or clothes; akin to OHG. werien weren, to clothe, Goth. wasjan L. vestis clothing, vestire to clothe, Gr ?, Skr. vas. Cf {Vest}.] 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 s?? 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.'' --Shak. 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 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.] From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Wearing \Wear"ing\, n. 1. The act of one who wears; the manner in which a thing wears; use conduct; consumption. Belike he meant to ward, and there to see his wearing. --Latimer. 2. That which is worn; clothes; garments. [Obs.] Give me my nightly wearing and adieu. --Shak. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Wearing \Wear"ing\, a. Pertaining to or designed for wear; as wearing apparel. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: wearing adj : producing exhaustion; "an exhausting march"; "the visit was especially wearing" [syn: {exhausting}, {tiring}, {wearying}] n 1: the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it) [syn: {erosion}, {eroding}, {eating away}, {wearing away}] 2: the act of wearing; "she bought it for everyday wear" [syn: {wear}]
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