WEAR (wore, worn)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does wear mean? 

• WEAR (noun)
  The noun WEAR has 3 senses:

1. impairment resulting from long use

2. a covering designed to be worn on a person's body

3. the act of having on your person as a covering or adornment

  Familiarity information: WEAR used as a noun is uncommon.

• WEAR (verb)
  The verb WEAR has 9 senses:

1. be dressed in

2. have on one's person

3. have in one's aspect; wear an expression of one's attitude or personality

4. deteriorate through use or stress

5. have or show an appearance of

6. last and be usable

7. go to pieces

8. exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress

9. put clothing on one's body

  Familiarity information: WEAR used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WEAR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Impairment resulting from long use

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Context example:

the tires showed uneven wear

Hypernyms ("wear" is a kind of...):

deterioration; impairment (a symptom of reduced quality or strength)

Derivation:

wear (exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress)

wear (deteriorate through use or stress)

wear (go to pieces)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A covering designed to be worn on a person's body

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

article of clothing; clothing; habiliment; vesture; wear; wearable

Hypernyms ("wear" is a kind of...):

consumer goods (goods (as food or clothing) intended for direct use or consumption)

covering (an artifact that covers something else (usually to protect or shelter or conceal it))

Meronyms (parts of "wear"):

wardrobe (collection of clothing belonging to one person)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "wear"):

slops (cheap clothing (as formerly issued to sailors in Britain))

loungewear (clothing suitable for relaxation)

man's clothing (clothing that is designed for men to wear)

neckpiece (an article of apparel worn about the neck)

nightclothes; nightwear; sleepwear (garments designed to be worn in bed)

outerwear; overclothes (clothing for use outdoors)

protective garment (clothing that is intended to protect the wearer from injury)

ready-to-wear (ready-made clothing)

slip-on (an article of clothing (garment or shoe) that is easily slipped on or off)

apparel; clothes; dress; wearing apparel (clothing in general)

street clothes (ordinary clothing suitable for public appearances (as opposed to costumes or sports apparel or work clothes etc.))

tailor-made (custom-made clothing)

duds; threads; togs (informal terms for clothing)

uniform (clothing of distinctive design worn by members of a particular group as a means of identification)

vestiture (an archaic term for clothing)

woman's clothing (clothing that is designed for women to wear)

work-clothes; work-clothing; work clothes; work clothing (clothing worn for doing manual labor)

knitwear (knitted clothing)

accessory; accouterment; accoutrement (clothing that is worn or carried, but not part of your main clothing)

array; raiment; regalia (especially fine or decorative clothing)

attire; dress; garb (clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion)

beachwear (clothing to be worn at a beach)

black (black clothing (worn as a sign of mourning))

blue (blue clothing)

change (a different or fresh set of clothes)

drag (clothing that is conventionally worn by the opposite sex (especially women's clothing when worn by a man))

footwear (clothing worn on a person's feet)

garment (an article of clothing)

gray; grey (clothing that is a grey color)

hand wear; handwear (clothing for the hands)

headdress; headgear (clothing for the head)

leisure wear (informal clothing designed to be worn when you are relaxing)

civilian clothing; civilian dress; civilian garb; plain clothes (ordinary clothing as distinguished from uniforms, work clothes, clerical garb, etc.)

Derivation:

wear (have on one's person)

wear (put clothing on one's body)

wear (be dressed in)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The act of having on your person as a covering or adornment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

wear; wearing

Context example:

she bought it for everyday wear

Hypernyms ("wear" is a kind of...):

act; deed; human action; human activity (something that people do or cause to happen)

Derivation:

wear (have on one's person)

• WEAR (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be dressed in

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

have on; wear

Context example:

She was wearing yellow that day

"Wear" entails doing...:

dress; get dressed (put on clothes)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

wear (a covering designed to be worn on a person's body)

wearable (suitable for wear or able to be worn)

wearer (a person who wears or carries or displays something as a body covering or accessory)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Have on one's person

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

bear; wear

Context example:

bear a scar

Hypernyms (to "wear" is one way to...):

feature; have (have as a feature)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

wear (the act of having on your person as a covering or adornment)

wear (a covering designed to be worn on a person's body)

wearable (suitable for wear or able to be worn)

wearing (the act of having on your person as a covering or adornment)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Have in one's aspect; wear an expression of one's attitude or personality

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

He always wears a smile

Hypernyms (to "wear" is one way to...):

feature; have (have as a feature)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Deteriorate through use or stress

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

wear; wear down; wear off; wear out; wear thin

Context example:

The constant friction wore out the cloth

Hypernyms (to "wear" is one way to...):

deteriorate (become worse or disintegrate)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "wear"):

ablate (wear away through erosion or vaporization)

scuff (get or become scuffed)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

wear (impairment resulting from long use)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Have or show an appearance of

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

wear one's hair in a certain way

Hypernyms (to "wear" is one way to...):

feature; have (have as a feature)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s something Adjective/Noun
Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Last and be usable

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

endure; hold out; wear

Context example:

This dress wore well for almost ten years

Hypernyms (to "wear" is one way to...):

endure; last (persist for a specified period of time)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s Adjective/Noun
Something ----s something

Derivation:

wearable (suitable for wear or able to be worn)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Go to pieces

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

break; bust; fall apart; wear; wear out

Context example:

The old chair finally fell apart completely

Hypernyms (to "wear" is one way to...):

crumble; decay; dilapidate (fall into decay or ruin)

Verb group:

break; bust (ruin completely)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "wear"):

fray; frazzle (wear away by rubbing)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Also:

wear away (diminish, as by friction)

wear away (cut away in small pieces)

wear off (diminish, as by friction)

Derivation:

wear (impairment resulting from long use)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

fag; fag out; fatigue; jade; outwear; tire; tire out; wear; wear down; wear out; wear upon; weary

Context example:

We wore ourselves out on this hike

Hypernyms (to "wear" is one way to...):

indispose (cause to feel unwell)

Cause:

fatigue; jade; pall; tire; weary (lose interest or become bored with something or somebody)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "wear"):

beat; exhaust; tucker; tucker out; wash up (wear out completely)

overfatigue; overtire; overweary (tire excessively)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam wants to wear with Sue

Derivation:

wear (impairment resulting from long use)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Put clothing on one's body

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

assume; don; get into; put on; wear

Context example:

He got into his jeans

Hypernyms (to "wear" is one way to...):

dress; get dressed (put on clothes)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "wear"):

hat (put on or wear a hat)

slip on (put on with ease or speed)

scarf (wrap in or adorn with a scarf)

try; try on (put on a garment in order to see whether it fits and looks nice)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

wear (a covering designed to be worn on a person's body)

wearable (suitable for wear or able to be worn)

 Context examples 

Some letters get more worn than others, and some wear only on one side.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A clean gown is not five minutes' wear in them.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Quite worn out and broken up.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

She had to wear her cousin's clothes.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I suppose no time can ever wear out the impression I have of his looks and voice as he said those words.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Eye wear protects or corrects your vision.

(Eye Wear, NIH)

You have slept in soft beds, and worn fine clothes, and eaten good meals. Who made those beds? and those clothes? and those meals? Not you.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) Dental Status, Does patient usually wear dentures?

(AIMS - Patient Usually Wears Dentures, NCI Thesaurus)

Once more the night came on, and worn out he lay down under a bush and fell asleep.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

I dared not offer her the half-worn gloves, the creased handkerchief: besides, I felt it would be absurd.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)