Library / English Dictionary

WEAR

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: wore    , worn   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Example:

she bought it for everyday wear

Synonyms:

wear; wearing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

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)

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Synonyms:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

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

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

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

Meronyms (parts of "wear"):

wardrobe (collection of clothing belonging to one person)

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

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

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

vestiture (an archaic term for clothing)

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

duds; threads; togs (informal terms for clothing)

tailor-made (custom-made clothing)

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

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

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

ready-to-wear (ready-made clothing)

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

outerwear; overclothes (clothing for use outdoors)

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

neckpiece (an article of apparel worn about the neck)

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

loungewear (clothing suitable for relaxation)

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

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

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)

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

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)

knitwear (knitted clothing)

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

Derivation:

wear (have on one's person)

wear (put clothing on one's body)

wear (be dressed in)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Impairment resulting from long use

Example:

the tires showed uneven wear

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

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)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Have or show an appearance of

Example:

wear one's hair in a certain way

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

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

feature; have (have as a feature)

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 2

Meaning:

Have on one's person

Example:

bear a scar

Synonyms:

bear; wear

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

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:

Put clothing on one's body

Example:

He got into his jeans

Synonyms:

assume; don; get into; put on; wear

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

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

dress; get dressed (put on clothes)

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

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)

hat (put on or wear a hat)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

wearable (suitable for wear or able to be worn)

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

Sense 4

Meaning:

Be dressed in

Example:

She was wearing yellow that day

Synonyms:

have on; wear

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

"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 5

Meaning:

Exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress

Example:

We wore ourselves out on this hike

Synonyms:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

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 6

Meaning:

Deteriorate through use or stress

Example:

The constant friction wore out the cloth

Synonyms:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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 7

Meaning:

Go to pieces

Example:

The old chair finally fell apart completely

Synonyms:

break; bust; fall apart; wear; wear out

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

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:

Last and be usable

Example:

This dress wore well for almost ten years

Synonyms:

endure; hold out; wear

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

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 9

Meaning:

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

Example:

He always wears a smile

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

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

feature; have (have as a feature)

Sentence frames:

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

Credits

 Context examples: 

All you have to do is just to wear out your chair in the consulting-room.

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

But I want to wear it on a matter of business.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Because you wear silver shoes and have killed the Wicked Witch.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

There was a curious constraint between her and Mr. Wickfield, I thought (of whom she seemed to be afraid), that never wore off.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

They had never been worn, my mother said.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

'And in every way such a glove as might be worn by the fairest and sweetest lady in England,' quoth the Englishman.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“We must keep him quiet until he has some clothes to wear.”

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"I never saw you wear a ring before, Edward," she cried.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

They were in a wretched state, worn out and worn down.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

I shall wear a large bonnet, and bring one of my little baskets hanging on my arm.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)