wore

She wore a bright red scarf around her neck.

Definition

1. Verb (past tense of ):
   • To have had on one's body as clothing, decoration, or protection: "wore" indicates that someone was dressed in or adorned with something in the past.
   • To have carried or displayed something on one's person: "wore" can refer to accessories, expressions, or characteristics that were present in the past.
   • To have caused gradual damage or erosion through use: "wore" can describe the process of something becoming thinner, weaker, or damaged over time.

Usage Examples

• Past clothing:
  • She wore a beautiful red dress to the party last night. (She had the red dress on her body for the event in the past.)
• Past accessory or item:
  • He wore a watch on his left wrist every day. (He carried the watch on his body in the past.)
• Past expression or feature:
  • The old man wore a kind smile. (He displayed a friendly expression in the past.)
• Past damage from use:
  • The constant walking wore the soles of his shoes thin. (The repeated action caused the shoe soles to become thinner over time.)

Advanced Usage

• "wore one's heart on one's sleeve": to openly express one's emotions or feelings.
  • She always wore her heart on her sleeve, so everyone knew when she was upset. (She openly displayed her feelings in the past.)
• "wore thin": to become less effective, interesting, or acceptable through repetition.
  • His excuses wore thin after the third time. (His reasons became less believable or tolerable over time.)
• "wore out": to use something until it is no longer functional, or to exhaust someone.
  • The child wore out his new shoes in just two months. (He used the shoes so much that they became damaged and unusable.)

Variants and Related Words

• Wear (verb, present tense): the act of having clothing or items on one's body.
  • I wear a uniform to work. (I dress in a uniform currently.)
• Worn (past participle): the form used with auxiliary verbs to indicate completed action or a state.
  • She has worn that coat for years. (She has used that coat over a long period.)
• Wearable (adjective): suitable for being worn.
  • This jacket is lightweight and wearable for all seasons. (It is appropriate to be worn.)

Synonyms

• Donned: to put on clothing (formal).
  • He donned his hat and left. (He put on his hat in the past.)
• Sporting: to wear or display proudly.
  • She was sporting a new necklace. (She was wearing and showing off the necklace.)

Related Idioms

• "wore the pants": to be the dominant person, usually in a relationship.
  • In their marriage, she definitely wore the pants. (She was the one who made decisions and had authority.)
• "wore a hole in one's pocket": to spend money quickly or wastefully.
  • His money wore a hole in his pocket, and he spent it all on gadgets. (He could not keep money; he spent it immediately.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Wore off: gradually disappeared or lost effect.
  • The painkiller wore off after four hours. (The medicine's effect faded away.)
• Wore down: gradually reduced strength or resistance.
  • The constant arguments wore down their patience. (The repeated disputes made their patience weaker.)
• Wore away: slowly destroyed or removed by friction or use.
  • The river wore away the rocks over centuries. (The water slowly eroded the rocks.)