What is "to wear away"

Wear \Wear\, v. t. [imp. Wore (w[=o]r); p. p. Worn (w[=o]rn); p. pr. & vb. n. Wearing. Before the 15th century wear was a weak verb, the imp. & p. p. being Weared.] [OE. weren, werien, AS. werian to carry, to wear, as arms or clothes; akin to OHG. werien, weren, to clothe, Goth. wasjan, L. vestis clothing, vestire to clothe, Gr. "enny`nai, Skr. vas. Cf. Vest.]

1. To carry or bear upon the person; to bear upon one's self, as an article of clothing, decoration, warfare, bondage, etc.; to have appendant to one's body; to have on; as, to wear a coat; to wear a shackle.

   What compass will you wear your farthingale?
   --Shak.

   On her white breast a sparkling cross she wore, Which Jews might kiss, and infidels adore.
   --Pope.

2. To have or exhibit an appearance of, as an aspect or manner; to bear; as, she wears a smile on her countenance. ``He wears the rose of youth upon him.''
   --Shak.

   His innocent gestures wear A meaning half divine.
   --Keble.

3. To use up by carrying or having upon one's self; hence, to consume by use; to waste; to use up; as, to wear clothes rapidly.

4. To impair, waste, or diminish, by continual attrition, scraping, percussion, on the like; to consume gradually; to cause to lower or disappear; to spend.

   That wicked wight his days doth wear.
   --Spenser.

   The waters wear the stones.
   --Job xiv. 19.

5. To cause or make by friction or wasting; as, to wear a channel; to wear a hole.

6. To form or shape by, or as by, attrition. Trials wear us into a liking of what, possibly, in the first essay, displeased us. --Locke. To wear away, to consume; to impair, diminish, or destroy, by gradual attrition or decay. To wear off, to diminish or remove by attrition or slow decay; as, to wear off the nap of cloth. To wear on or To wear upon, to wear. [Obs.] ``[I] weared upon my gay scarlet gites [gowns.]'' --Chaucer. To wear out.

   1. To consume, or render useless, by attrition or decay; as, to wear out a coat or a book.

   2. To consume tediously. ``To wear out miserable days.''
      --Milton.

   3. To harass; to tire. ``[He] shall wear out the saints of the Most High.''
      --Dan vii. 25.

   4. To waste the strength of; as, an old man worn out in military service.

      To wear the breeches. See under Breeches. [Colloq.]