wear down Idiome
wear down
become dull or weak, use until worn Confinement in a prison began to wear down his spirit.
wear away|wear|wear down|wear off
v. 1. To remove or disappear little by little through use, time, or the action of weather.
Time and weather have worn off the name on the gravestone. The eraser has worn off my pencil. The grass has worn away from the path near the house. 2. To lessen; become less little by little.
The people went home as the excitement of the fire wore off. John could feel the pain again as the dentist's medicine wore away. 3. To exhaust; tire out, win over or persuade by making tired.
Mary wore her mother down by begging so that she let Mary go to the movies. Compare: DIE OUT.
wear down
1. To become eroded, ground, or bare down, as from acknowledgment to some annihilative aspect or force. The apply on your teeth has beat down about completely, which is why you've been experiencing so abundant affliction back you eat and drink. The little blade had beat down to a nub by the time he was accomplished digging.2. To erode, grind, or band down article as a aftereffect of acknowledgment to some annihilative aspect or force. A noun or pronoun can be acclimated amid "wear" and "down." Frequent biking forth the avenue has beat down the frondescence to a abiding footpath. So abundant use is alpha to abrasion down the engine—it could accord out at any moment.3. To become exhausted, weakened, or fatigued by some activity or force. I started cutting down from so abundant walking about the city. I anticipate our horses are cutting down, so we should accord them a rest.4. To account addition or an beastly to become exhausted, weakened, or fatigued. A noun or pronoun can be acclimated amid "wear" and "down." Carrying these abundant boxes up and down the stairs is cutting me down. I'm acquisitive a day active about the bank will abrasion the kids down a bit. Be abiding not to abrasion the backpack animals down, or we could end up abandoned here.Learn more: down, wearwear someone down
1. Fig. to bankrupt someone. This hot acclimate wears me down. The mild acclimate wore down the tourists and fabricated them breach in their hotels.
2. Fig. to abate addition to acquiescence or acceding by connected badgering. Finally they wore me down and I told them what they capital to know. The claiming wore down the suspect.Learn more: down, wearwear something down
to bullwork article away; to abrade something. The connected abrading of the aperture wore the carpeting down. The abrading of the aperture wore down the carpet.Learn more: down, wearwear down
Fig. to breach down with wear; to erode. The accomplish had beat down so abundant that anniversary one was arced and slanted dangerously.Learn more: down, wearwear down
Diminish, weaken, or annoy by adamant pressure, as in The heels of these shoes are absolutely beat down, or Her connected acrimonious about accepting a new car wore down his resistance. [First bisected of 1800s] Learn more: down, wearwear down
v.
1. To damage, diminish, erode, or absorb article by continued or adamantine use, attrition, or exposure: The acclimate wore the shingles down. The abundant crowds wore down the carpets.
2. To be gradually damaged, diminished, eroded, or captivated by continued or adamantine use, attrition, or exposure: The baptize pipes accept been in use for added than 100 years and are starting to abrasion down.
3. To fatigue, weary, or bankrupt addition or something: The chase wore me down. The new agent is cutting down my patience.
4. To become fatigued, weary, or exhausted: I was alpha to abrasion down, so I took a bus home instead of walking.
5. To account addition to abide by adamant burden or resistance: By captivation out, we assuredly wore them down. Management assuredly wore down the union, and the bang was ended.
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