wear
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: wâr
ipa: /wɛə/
ipa: /wɛː/
ipa: /wɛ(ə)ɹ/
ipa: [wɛɚ]
ipa: [wɛɹ]
ipa: /weː/
note: without the cheer–chair merger
ipa: /weə/
note: New Zealand, cheer–chair merger
enpr: wîr
ipa: /wiə/
note: New Zealand, cheer–chair merger
ipa: /weɹ/
note: Lancashire, fair–fur merger
enpr: wûr
ipa: /wɜː(ɹ)/
note: Lancashire, fair–fur merger
note: Indic, cheer–chair merger or spelling pronunciation
enpr: wîr
ipa: /wɪja(r)/
note: Indic, cheer–chair merger or spelling pronunciation
homophone: ware
homophone: where (wine–whine merger)
homophone: weir
homophone: we're (cheer–chair merger)
homophone: were
homophone: whir (fair–fur merger)
rhymes: -ɛə(ɹ)
Etymology: Inherited from Middle English weren, werien, from Old English werian (“to clothe, cover over; put on, wear, use; stock (land)”), from Proto-West Germanic *waʀjan, from Proto-Germanic *wazjaną (“to clothe”), from Proto-Indo-European *wes- (“to dress, put on (clothes)”).
Cognate to Sanskrit वस्ते (váste), Ancient Greek ἕννυμι (hénnumi, “put on”), Latin vestis (“garment”) (English vest), Albanian vesh (“dress up, wear”), Tocharian B wäs-, Old Armenian զգենում (zgenum), Welsh gwisgo, Hittite 𒉿𒀸- (waš-).
Originally a weak verb (i.e. with a past tense in -ed), it became irregular during the Middle English period by analogy with verbs like beren (whence bear) and teren (whence tear).
Senses: examples: text: footwear; outdoor wear; maternity wear
glosses: Clothing.
examples: text: Now, I still think that for this box of matches to have escaped the wear of time for immemorial years was a most strange, as for me it was a most fortunate, thing.
ref: 1895 May 29, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, “The Palace of Green Porcelain”, in The Time Machine: An Invention, London: William Heinemann, →OCLC, pages 114–115:
glosses: Damage to the appearance and/or strength of an item caused by use over time.
examples: text: Motley's the onely weare.
ref: c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vii], page 193, column 1:
glosses: Fashion.
examples: text: It is obvious, of course, that a cylinder so applied is not for constant wear, and it is not intended in any way to correct any error of refraction, but is used merely as an exercise for a few minutes at a time at repeated intervals. In case of Oblique Astigmatism the wearing of the correction will frequently fail to give satisfaction when complicated by oblique muscular trouble, […]
ref: 1903, Lionel G. Amsden, Principles and Practices of Refraction: An Elementary Treatise on the Science of Refraction as Applied to “Sight Testing”, page 209:
text: Prolonged wear of the interceptor body armor outer tactical vest (OTV) is frequently blamed for common complaints of neck and shoulder pain. […] Even if patients improved after a period of light duty and shoulder rehabilitation, many complained of pain after returning to OTV wear when their shoulders again became the focal point of weight distribution.
ref: 2008 November, Sarah D. Thomas, “Measures to Prevent Profiles in Combat Support Commands”, in Army Logistician, volume 40, number 6, page 22:
text: Softer crystals are best reserved for occasional wear, whereas harder crystals can be worn every day.
ref: 2021, Lauren D’Silva, Crystals: The Guide to Principles, Practices and More (Godsfield Companions), Godsfield, →ISBN:
glosses: Wearing.
Derived terms: constant-wear garment
maternity wear
ring wear
use-wear analysis
wear and tear
wear leveling