WEAR

(WEAKEN) [verb] [I] [past simple] wore, [past participle] worn - to become weaker, damaged or thinner because of continuous useI'm very fond of this shirt but it's starting to wear at the collar.The wheel bearings have worn over the years, which is what's causing the noise.In some diseases the protective layer in a joint wears away (= becomes thinner and disappears because of repeated rubbing).Most patients find that the numbness wears off (= becomes less and finally disappears) after about an hour.Parts of an engine which move can wear out (= be made increasingly weak until they become useless).(figurative) It's been a popular TV series, but the plot is much the same every week and it's all wearing a bit thin (= becoming boring or annoying because it has been seen or used too much).