wear thin
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb phrase: - To become less effective, convincing, or tolerable over time; to deteriorate or weaken due to repeated use, strain, or exposure. - To have one's patience, welcome, or effect diminished or exhausted.
Usage
The phrase "wear thin" describes a situation where something gradually loses its initial strength, novelty, or acceptability. It is often used for intangible things like patience, excuses, or goodwill.
Examples
Advanced Usage
- "to wear thin on someone": To become increasingly irritating or unacceptable to a specific person.
- Her cheerful optimism was beginning to wear thin on her more cynical colleagues.
Variants and Related Words
- Wear out (verb phrase): To use something until it is no longer usable or effective. Often used for physical objects but can apply to patience.
- The constant stress wore out the team's morale.
- Threadbare (adjective): Literally, (of cloth) thin and tattered with age; figuratively, (of an idea, excuse) used so often as to be no longer effective.
- His arguments were threadbare and unconvincing.
Synonyms
- Deteriorate: To become progressively worse.
- Weaken: To reduce in strength or intensity.
- Fray: (Figuratively) To show the effects of strain.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Wear down: To overcome resistance through persistent pressure or attrition.
- The negotiators hoped to wear down their opponents with endless discussions.
- Wear off: To diminish gradually and disappear.
- The painkiller's effects began to wear off after a few hours.
Related Idioms
- To try someone's patience: To test the limits of someone's tolerance, similar to the effect described by "wear thin."
- The endless delays tried the patience of even the calmest passengers.
- To have a short fuse: To have a tendency to lose patience quickly, making it easier for something to "wear thin."
- Be careful what you say; he has a very short fuse.
Verb
- deteriorate through use or stress
- The constant friction wore out the cloth