WordGarden.iowear
A1Pronunciation
UK
US
- /ˈwɛr/
Meanings
Verb
to have clothes, shoes, or jewelry on one's body
to have hair, a beard, or an expression in a particular way
to become damaged, thinner, or smoother from use or friction
Noun
clothing meant for a particular purpose, occasion, or market
damage or visible use on an object over time
Beyond the definition
"Wear" is a very flexible little word. Most often, it means to have clothes, shoes, jewelry, or something similar on your body. You wear a coat in winter, wear boots in the rain, or wear glasses to read. But it also describes the slow damage that comes from time and use. A stone step can wear smooth after many years, and a favorite shirt can start to look worn.
The word also appears in a few common figurative ways. You can wear a smile, meaning you show it on your face. Your patience can wear thin, meaning you are slowly losing it. So the word often moves between what you put on, what time slowly changes, and what shows on the outside.
The word "wear" has several important meanings, and they are all common in everyday English. The first and most familiar meaning is to have something on your body. You wear a shirt, a ring, a watch, or a uniform. In this sense, the word is about clothes, jewelry, and other things that become part of your appearance for a time.
But "wear" is also a word about change over time. Things can wear from use, pressure, or weather. Shoes wear at the heel, paint wears off a wall, and a road surface wears down after years of traffic. That is why English has the phrase "wear and tear" for the small damage that builds up through normal use.
The word can also describe a slow loss of strength, patience, or effect. Noise can wear on your nerves. Repeated arguments can wear you down. Waiting too long can make your patience wear thin. In these uses, the idea is not about clothing at all. It is about something being slowly reduced by time, repetition, or pressure.
There is also a more figurative side to the word. Someone can wear a smile, wear a worried look, or wear their hair in a particular style. Here, the word means to show something in a visible way. So whether it is about what is on your body, what time and use slowly damage, or what appears on your face, "wear" is a simple word with a wide reach in English.
Examples
- 1
Work clothing
She usually wears jeans and a sweater to work.
- 2
Formal clothing
He was wearing a dark suit when he arrived.
- 3
Glasses
I only wear glasses for reading.
- 4
Shoe size
My sister wears a size 6 shoe.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Hair style
She wears her hair short now.
- Patternwear your hair + style/length
have your hair that way
- 6
Safety
Please wear your seat belt, even on short trips.
- 7
Durability
These shoes were expensive, but they wear well.
- Phrasewear well
stay in good condition after a lot of use
- 8
Physical sensation
The numb feeling started to wear off after an hour.
- Phrasewear off
gradually disappear or stop
- 9
Emotional pressure
All the delays were beginning to wear us down.
- Patternwear someone down
make someone slowly feel tired or less hopeful
- 10
Long meeting
The meeting wore on until everyone looked exhausted.
- Phrasewear on
continue for a long time and become tiring
See also
Forms and spellings
5 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- wearnounverb
Forms
- wearing-ing formverbnoun
- worepast tenseverbnoun
- wornpast participleverbnoun
- wearsverbnoun