wear the pants

[wɛə ðə pænts]

verb

transitive verb

to bear or have on the person

wore a coat

to use habitually for clothing, adornment, or assistance wear glasses

wears a size 10

to carry on the person

wear a sword

to hold the rank or dignity or position signified by (an ornament)

wear the royal crown

exhibit, present commend the book for wearing its research so lightly—Brad Leithauser

wore a happy smile

to show or fly (a flag or colors) on a ship

to cause to deteriorate by use

to impair or diminish by use or attrition : consume or waste gradually

letters on the stone worn away by weathering

to produce gradually by friction or attrition

wear a hole in the rug

to exhaust or lessen the strength of : weary, fatigue

to cause (a ship) to go about with the stern presented to the wind

British to accept or tolerate without complaint : put up with—usually used in negative constructions

your mates wouldn't wear it—Colin MacInnes

take on sense 3a

intransitive verb

to endure use : last under use or the passage of time

material that will wear for years

to retain quality or vitality

the classics wear well

to diminish or decay through use

the heels of his shoes began to wear

to diminish or fail with the passage of time the day wore on

the effect of the drug wore off

to grow or become by attrition or use

the blade wore dull

of a ship to change to an opposite tack by turning the stern to the wind compare tack

geographical name

river 67 miles (108 kilometers) long in northern England flowing into the North Sea at Sunderland

noun

the act of wearing : the state of being worn : use

clothes for everyday wear

clothing or an article of clothing usually of a particular kindespecially: clothing worn for a special occasion or popular during a specific period

fashion, vogue

wearing quality : durability under use

the result of wearing or use : diminution or impairment due to use

wear-resistant surface

Verb Middle English weren, from Old English werian; akin to Old Norse verja to clothe, invest, spend, Latin vestis clothing, garment, Greek hennynai to clothe

The first known use of wear was before the 12th century

outside ofpreposition

outside entry 4 sense 2

except for

outside of her brother she is alone in the house

third degreenoun

brutal treatment of a prisoner by the police in order to get a confession

over and abovepreposition

besides entry 1

third classnoun

the class next below second class in a classification

third classnoun

the class next below second class in a classification

owing topreposition

because of

absent owing to illness

third basenoun

the base that must be touched third by a base runner in baseball or the position of the player defending the area around it

pain1 of 2noun

punishment sense 2

under pain of death

physical suffering associated with disease, injury, or other bodily disorder

a pain in the back

a basic bodily sensation that is caused by something harmful, is accompanied by physical discomfort (as pricking, throbbing, or aching), and usually makes one try to escape its source

mental distress : grief

plural the suffering experienced during childbirth

plural great care or effort

took pains with their work

pain2 of 2verb

to cause pain in or to : hurt

to give or feel pain

palm offverb

to get rid of or pass on (as something fake, useless, or of poor quality) in a dishonest way

palmed off fake antiques on unsuspecting customers

wear1 of 2verb

to use as an article of clothing, adornment, or assistance wears glasses

wears blue jeans all the time

to carry on the person

wear a watch

to have or show an appearance of

wore a happy smile

to damage, destroy, or make less by use or by scraping or rubbing

wore the shoes to pieces

to produce gradually by wearing

wear a hole in the rug

to tire or weaken : fatigue

soldiers worn by the strain of war

to stand up under use

a silk that wears well

to lessen or end with the passage of time the day wore on

the effect of the medicine wore off

to reach a certain condition gradually

the blade wore dull

wear2 of 2noun

the act of wearing : use

the state of being worn

clothing or an article of clothing usually of a particular kind or for a special occasion or use

children's wear

wearing quality : durability under use

the result of wearing or use

a carpet showing wear