Source : WordNet®

wear away
     v 1: cut away in small pieces [syn: {whittle away}, {whittle down}]
     2: diminish, as by friction; "Erosion wore away the surface"
        [syn: {wear off}]
     3: become ground down or deteriorate; "Her confidence eroded"
        [syn: {erode}, {gnaw}, {gnaw at}, {eat at}]