Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Wear \Wear\, v. t. [imp. {Wore}; p. p. {Worn}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Wearing}. Before the 15th century wear was a weak verb, the
   imp. & p. p. being {Weared}.] [OE. weren, werien, AS. werian
   to carry, to wear, as arms or clothes; akin to OHG. werien,
   weren, to clothe, Goth. wasjan, L. vestis clothing, vestire
   to clothe, Gr. ?, Skr. vas. Cf. {Vest}.]
   1. To carry or bear upon the person; to bear upon one's self,
      as an article of clothing, decoration, warfare, bondage,
      etc.; to have appendant to one's body; to have on; as, to
      wear a coat; to wear a shackle.

            What compass will you wear your farthingale? --Shak.

            On her white breast a sparkling cross s?? wore,
            Which Jews might kiss, and infidels adore. --Pope.

   2. To have or exhibit an appearance of, as an aspect or
      manner; to bear; as, she wears a smile on her countenance.
      ``He wears the rose of youth upon him.'' --Shak.

            His innocent gestures wear A meaning half divine.
                                                  --Keble.

   3. To use up by carrying or having upon one's self; hence, to
      consume by use; to waste; to use up; as, to wear clothes
      rapidly.

   4. To impair, waste, or diminish, by continual attrition,
      scraping, percussion, on the like; to consume gradually;
      to cause to lower or disappear; to spend.

            That wicked wight his days doth wear. --Spenser.

            The waters wear the stones.           --Job xiv. 19.

   5. To cause or make by friction or wasting; as, to wear a
      channel; to wear a hole.

   6. To form or shape by, or as by, attrition.

            Trials wear us into a liking of what, possibly, in
            the first essay, displeased us.       --Locke.

   {To wear away}, to consume; to impair, diminish, or destroy,
      by gradual attrition or decay.

   {To wear off}, to diminish or remove by attrition or slow
      decay; as, to wear off the nap of cloth.

   {To wear on or upon}, to wear. [Obs.] ``[I] weared upon my
      gay scarlet gites [gowns.]'' --Chaucer.

   {To wear out}.
      (a) To consume, or render useless, by attrition or decay;
          as, to wear out a coat or a book.
      (b) To consume tediously. ``To wear out miserable days.''
          --Milton.
      (c) To harass; to tire. ``[He] shall wear out the saints
          of the Most High.'' --Dan vii. 25.
      (d) To waste the strength of; as, an old man worn out in
          military service.

   {To wear the breeches}. See under {Breeches}. [Colloq.]