Meaning of wear In English

• 0 to have clothing, jewellery, etc. on your body:

  • Tracey is wearing a simple black dress.

  • What are you wearing to Caroline's wedding?

  • Some musicians don't like to wear rings when they're playing.

  • He wears glasses for reading.

  • She wears very little make-up.

  • The politician wore a confident smile throughout the interview.

  • When she's working she wears her hair in a ponytail.

  • You should wear your hair up (= so that it does not hang down) more often - it suits you.

• 1 to become weaker, damaged, or thinner because of continuous use:

  • I really like this shirt but it's starting to wear at the collar.

  • The wheel bearings have worn over the years, which is what's causing the noise.

  • I always seem to wear a hole in the left elbow of my sweaters.

  • Over many years, flowing water wore deep grooves into the rock.

  • Wind and water slowly wore down the mountain's jagged edges.

• 2 to allow or accept something:

  • I'd ask my boss for some time off but I don't think she'd wear it.

• 3 clothes suitable for a particular use or clothes of a particular type:

  • casual wear

  • leisure wear

  • knitwear

• 4 the amount or type of use an object has had or can be expected to have:

  • I've had a lot of wear out of these boots - I've had them for five years.

  • When choosing a wood for flooring, be sure to choose one which is able to withstand hard wear.

  • I've only worn the shirt a couple of times and it's already showing signs of wear.

  • On closer examination, though, the extent of wear on the teeth made it clear that they were dealing with a fully grown adult.

• 5 to have clothing or jewelry on your body:

  • He wears glasses for reading.

  • fig. The prisoner wore a confident smile throughout the trial.

  • She wears her hair in a ponytail.

• 6 to make something become weaker, damaged, or thinner because of continuous use:

  • [ I ] My favorite shirt wore at the collar.

  • [ T ] I wore a hole in my favorite sweater.

  • [ M ] Wind and water slowly wore away the mountain’s jagged peak, making it round.

• 7 clothes designed for a particular use or of a particular type:

  • She designed sportswear and very elegant evening wear.

• 8 clothes suitable for a particular use:

  • children's/men's/women's wear Women's wear is on the first floor.

  • evening/casual/formal wear

• 9 the act of wearing something:

  • The company manufactures shoes for everyday wear.

• 10 the amount or type of use an object has had or can be expected to have:

  • A new extended wear contact lens is now available.

  • The material is washable and resistant to heavy wear.

• 11 the damage or reduction in quality that an object shows after it has been used for a period of time:

  • Gear knobs can show signs of wear on high-mileage vehicles.