Definition

1. Verb (transitive):

   • To cause something to become damaged, thin, or useless through prolonged or excessive use, friction, or stress.
   • To exhaust someone physically or mentally; to cause extreme fatigue.

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To become damaged, thin, or useless from prolonged or excessive use, friction, or stress.

Usage and Examples

• Transitive Verb (causing damage):

  • The constant friction from the machine will wear out the fabric.
  • Driving on rough roads can quickly wear out your car's tires.

• Transitive Verb (causing exhaustion):

  • Caring for three young children can wear out a parent.
  • The long hours of intense study wore out the students.

• Intransitive Verb (becoming damaged):

  • The bearings in the engine eventually wore out and needed replacement.
  • Cheap shoes tend to wear out much faster than well-made ones.

Advanced Usage

• "to wear oneself out": To exhaust oneself through overexertion.

  • She wore herself out preparing for the marathon.
  • Don't wear yourself out trying to please everyone.

• "worn out" (adjective): Describing something that is damaged from use or a person who is very tired.

  • He threw away the worn-out sneakers. (damaged)
  • After the 12-hour shift, the nurse felt completely worn out. (exhausted)

Variants and Related Words

• Wear (verb): The base form, meaning to have on one's body as clothing or to deteriorate gradually.
• Wear and tear (noun phrase): The damage that happens to something through ordinary use over time.
  • The sofa shows signs of normal wear and tear.

Synonyms

• Deteriorate: To become worse in quality or condition.
• Fatigue: To cause to become tired.
• Exhaust: To drain of strength or energy completely.
• Break down: To cease to function properly.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Wear down: To overcome resistance through persistent pressure; to cause gradual erosion or reduction.

  • The negotiators hoped to wear down their opponents with endless discussions.
  • The steps have been worn down by centuries of use.

• Wear off: To diminish gradually and disappear.

  • The effects of the painkiller will wear off in a few hours.

Related Idioms

• Wear out one's welcome: To stay somewhere as a guest so long that one is no longer welcome.

  • After two weeks, I was worried I might wear out my welcome at my friend's house.

• Wear out the/one's knees: To pray for a very long time (often used humorously or figuratively).

  • She said she'd wear out her knees praying for his safe return.

Verb

1. deteriorate through use or stress
   • The constant friction wore out the cloth
2. go to pieces
   • The lawn mower finally broke
   • The gears wore out
   • The old chair finally fell apart completely
3. exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
   • We wore ourselves out on this hike