wear

1 syllable · also wore, worn

Quick answer

As a verb, wear means carry or have equipped on or about one's body, as an item of clothing, equipment, decoration, etc. As a noun, it means (in combination) clothing.

Meanings of wear

27 meanings

verb

To carry or have equipped on or about one's body, as an item of clothing, equipment, decoration, etc.
“He's wearing some nice pants today.&emsp; She wore her medals with pride.&emsp; Please wear your seatbelt.&emsp; Can you wear makeup and sunscreen at the same time?&emsp; He was wearing his lunch after tripping and falling into the buffet.”
To have or carry on one's person habitually, consistently; or, to maintain in a particular fashion or manner.
“He wears eyeglasses.&emsp; She wears her hair in braids.”
To bear or display in one's aspect or appearance.
“She wore a smile all day.&emsp; He walked out of the courtroom wearing an air of satisfaction.”
colloquialwith "it"To overcome one's reluctance and endure a (previously specified) situation.
“I know you don't like working with him, but you'll just have to wear it.”
To eat away at, erode, diminish, or consume gradually; to cause a gradual deterioration in; to produce (some change) through attrition, exposure, or constant use.
“You're going to wear a hole in the bottom of those shoes.&emsp; The water has slowly worn a channel into these rocks.&emsp; Long illness had worn the bloom from her cheeks.&emsp; Exile had worn the man to a shadow.”
copulativeTo undergo gradual deterioration; become impaired; be reduced or consumed gradually due to any continued process, activity, or use.
“The tiles were wearing thin due to years of children's feet.”
To exhaust, fatigue, expend, or weary.
“His neverending criticism has finally worn my patience.&emsp; Toil and care soon wear the spirit.&emsp; Our physical advantage allowed us to wear the other team out and win.”
To last or remain durable under hard use or over time; to retain usefulness, value, or desirable qualities under any continued strain or long period of time; sometimes said of a person, regarding the quality of being easy or difficult to tolerate.
colloquial(in the phrase "wearing on (someone)") To cause annoyance, irritation, fatigue, or weariness near the point of an exhaustion of patience.
“Her high pitched voice is really wearing on me lately.”
of timeTo pass slowly, gradually or tediously.
“wear on, wear away.&emsp; As the years wore on, we seemed to have less and less in common.”
nauticalTo bring (a sailing vessel) onto the other tack by bringing the wind around the stern (as opposed to tacking when the wind is brought around the bow); to come round on another tack by turning away from the wind. Also written "ware". Past: weared, or wore/worn.
now chiefly uk dialectalTo guard; watch; keep watch, especially from entry or invasion.
now chiefly uk dialectalTo defend; protect.
now chiefly uk dialectalTo ward off; prevent from approaching or entering; drive off; repel.
“to wear the wolf from the sheep”

noun

(in combination) clothing
“footwear; outdoor wear; maternity wear”
Damage to the appearance and/or strength of an item caused by use over time
Fashion
Impairment resulting from long use
“the tires showed uneven wear”
A covering designed to be worn on a person's body
Similar: clothing, article of clothing, vesture, wearable, habiliment
The act of having on your person as a covering or adornment
“she bought it for everyday wear”
Similar: wearing