Etymology : Middle English weren, from Old English werian; akin to Old Norse verja to clothe, invest, spend, Latin vestis clothing, garment, Greek hennynai to clothe
Pronunciation : 'war, 'wer
Function : verb
Date : before 12th century
1. frayed, ragged, used, deteriorated; tired, exhausted (Slang). worn\worn\ , p. p. of wear.worn land, land that has become exhausted by tillage, or which for any reason has lost its fertility.worn adj.
2. affected by wear; damaged by long use; "worn threads on the screw"; "a worn suit"; "the worn pockets on the jacket" [ant: unworn].
3. showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering; "looking careworn as she bent over her mending"; "her face was drawn and haggard from sleeplessness"; "that raddled but still noble face"; "shocked to see:
the worn look of his handsome young face"- charles dickens [syn: careworn, drawn, haggard, raddled].
4. p. p. of Wear. affected by wear; damaged by long use; "worn threads on the screw"; "a worn suit"; "the worn pockets on the jacket".
5. Same as Weir.
6. To cause to go about, as a vessel, by putting the helm up, instead of alee as in tacking, so that the vessel's bow is turned away from, and her stern is presented to, the wind, and, as she turns still farther, her sails fill on the other side; to veer.
7. 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.
8. To have or exhibit an appearance of, as an aspect or manner; to bear; as, she wears a smile on her countenance.
9. 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.
10. To impair, waste, or diminish, by continual attrition, scraping, percussion, on the like; to consume gradually; to cause to lower or disappear; to spend.
11. To cause or make by friction or wasting; as, to wear a channel; to wear a hole.
12. To form or shape by, or as by, attrition.
13. To endure or suffer use; to last under employment; to bear the consequences of use, as waste, consumption, or attrition; as, a coat wears well or ill; - - hence, sometimes applied to character, qualifications, etc.; as, a man wears well as an acquaintance.
14. To be wasted, consumed, or diminished, by being used; to suffer injury, loss, or extinction by use or time; to decay, or be spent, gradually.
15. The act of wearing, or the state of being worn; consumption by use; diminution by friction; as, the wear of a garment.
16. The thing worn; style of dress; the fashion.
17. The result of wearing or use; consumption, diminution, or impairment due to use, friction, or the like; as, the wear of this coat has been good.
18. A dam in a river to stop and raise the water, for the purpose of conducting it to a mill, forming a fish pond, or the like.
19. A fence of stakes, brushwood, or the like, set in a stream, tideway, or inlet of the sea, for taking fish.
20. A long notch with a horizontal edge, as in the top of a vertical plate or plank, through which water flows, used in measuring the quantity of flowing water. the act of having on your person as a covering or adornment; "she bought it for everyday wear" impairment resulting from long use; "the tires showed uneven wear" have or show an appearance of; "wear one's hair in a certain way" have on one's person; "He wore a red ribbon"; "bear a scar" put clothing on one's body; "What should I wear today?"; "He put on his best suit for the wedding"; "The princess donned a long blue dress"; "The queen assumed the stately robes"; "He got into his jeans" be dressed in; "She was wearing yellow that day" deteriorate through use or stress; "The constant friction wore out the cloth" last and be usable; "This dress wore well for almost ten years" have in one's aspect; wear an expression of one's attitude or personality; "He always wears a smile".
21. 1. Worn is the past participle of wear.
22. Worn is used to describe something that is damaged or thin because it is old and has been used a lot. Worn rugs increase the danger of tripping.
23. If someone looks worn, they look tired and old. She was looking very haggard and worn. see also:
well-worn. the past participle of wear.