1559
webbed
be removed gradually through continued use, rubbing etc:
In the course of centuries, the wind has worn the rocks away.
wear sthg./sbdy. ⇔ down phr v [T] 1 to gradually reduce
the size of: The constant rubbing wore down the surface of the
stone. | My shoes are badly worn down at the heels. 2 to
lessen the strength or determination of, by a long gradual
process: We wore down their opposition after several hours'
argument. | Months of illness wore her down.
wear off phr v [I] (of a feeling, effect etc, especially an
unpleasant one) to become less strong; to be reduced until it
disappears: The pain is wearing off.
wear on phr v [I] to pass slowly in time: The meeting wore
on all afternoon.
wear out phr v 1 [I;T(= wear sthg. ⇔ out)] to (cause to) be
reduced to nothing or to a useless state by long use: Those
thin shoes will wear out quickly. 2 [T(wear sbdy.⇔ out)] to tire
greatly; EXHAUST: These children are wearing me out. → see
also OUTWORN, WORN-OUT
wear² n [U] 1 the act of wearing especially clothes: This suit
only had a year's wear before it wore out. 2 use which
. reduces, weakens, or spoils the material: This carpet has had
a lot of wear. 3 damage resulting from continuous use:
These shoes I bought last week are already showing signs of
wear. 4 the quality of lasting in use: There's a lot of wear in
these tyres. 5 (often in comb.) clothes of the stated type, or for
the stated purpose: men's wear | evening wear | holiday wear |
footwear (=shoes) | swimwear → see also the worse for wear
(WORSE)
wear and tear /ˌweər ən ˈteər/ n [U] the damaging effects
of ordinary use over a long period; WEAR: When you calculate
the value of the car you must allow for wear and tear. | (fig.) the
wear and tear of modern city life
wear·ing /ˈweərɪŋ/ adj tiring: I find him very wearing when
he talks on and on. | It's a very wearing job. → see also
HARDWEARING
wear·i·some /ˈwɪərɪsəm/ adj especially fml or lit which makes
one feel tired BORED or annoyed; IRKSOME: a wearisome
day/task/child
weary¹ /ˈwɪəri/ adj [(of)] 1 very tired, especially after long
work or a long journey: I'm feeling weary. | a weary smile |
weary travellers | I'm weary of all this arguing. 2 infml which
makes one tired: a weary day —ily adv —iness n [U]
weary² v [I(of);T with)] especially fml or lit to make or become
weary: He began to weary of the work. | You're wearying me
with all these silly questions.
wea·sel¹ /ˈwiːzəl/ n 1 a
small thin furry animal with
a pointed face which can kill
other small animals. There is
a well-known children's song
called Pop goes the Wea-
sel. 2 AmE slang a dishonest
person
weasel² v
· weasel out phr v [I(of)] infml
especially AmE to escape or
avoid a duty by clever dis-
honest means: to weasel out
of a responsibility
weasel word n [often P] AmE infml a word used in place of
some other word that would be more direct, honest, or
clear: He said she borrowed it but I think that was a weasel
word for 'steal'. | With the election around the corner, politi-
cians will only venture weasel words on that issue.
weath·er¹ /ˈweðər/ n [(the)U] 1 the condition of wind,
temperature, rain, sunshine, snow etc, at a certain time or
over a period of time. British people often have conversa-
tions about the weather: good/nice weather | The party will
be held outdoors, weather permitting. (=if the weather is
fine) | severe weather conditions | a period of hot weather |
What will the weather be like tomorrow? → compare CLI-
MATE 2 in all weathers in every kind of weather, especially
in bad or difficult weather conditions such as storms or
extreme heat 3 under the weather infml slightly ill → see
also FAIR-WEATHER, make heavy weather of something
(HEAVY)
weather² v 1 [T] to pass safely through (a storm or a
difficult period): Once this crisis had been weathered, the
government's fortunes improved. 2 [I;T] to change or be
changed by being left in the air and weather over a period of
time: Wood weathers better (=is less damaged by rain etc) if it
is treated with creosote.
'weath·er-beaten adj marked or damaged by the force of
wind, sun, rain etc: a weather-beaten face (=brown and lined)
weath·er·board /ˈweðəbɔːd||-ərbɔːrd/ n 1 [U] also
weath·er-board·ing /-ˌbɔːdɪŋ||-ˌbɔːr-/ also clapboard AmE—
boards covering the outer walls of a house 2 [C] a board or
set of boards fixed across the bottom of a door, to prevent
floods from getting inside
'weatherboard house a type of US home found especially
in New England with overlapping (OVERLAP) wooden boards
on the outside
'weath·er-bound adj unable to move or take place because
of bad weather
weath·er·cock /ˈweðəkɒk||-ərkɑːk/ n a WEATHER VANE
sometimes in the shape of a COCK
'weath·er 'eye n [usually S] 1 an ability to know in advance
how the weather will change 2 close and active awareness of
a situation that one expects will change soon, especially in
the phrase keep a weather eye on sth
'weath·er fore·cast n a description of likely future weather
conditions, e.g. in a newspaper or on a radio broadcast
—~er n
'weath·er girl n a woman on television or radio who tells
you what the weather will be like
weath·er·man /ˈweðəmæn||-ər-/ n pl. -men /men/ a
weather forecaster, especially on television or radio: Accord-
ing to the weatherman, we'll have snow tomorrow.
weath·er-proof¹ /ˈweðəpruːf||-ər-/ adj (especially of a gar-
ment) which can keep out wind and rain
weatherproof² v [T] to make (a material) weatherproof
'weath·er ship n a ship at sea which reports on weather
conditions
'weath·er station n a place or building used for studying
and recording weather conditions
'weath·er strip n AmE a thin piece of INSULATION put around
the edge of a door or window to keep cold air from coming
inside —~ping n [U]
'weath·er vane n a small metal apparatus fixed to the top of
a building, which is blown round and so shows the direc-
tion of the wind
weave¹ /wiːv/ v wove /wəʊv/, woven /ˈwəʊvən/ 1 [I] to
form threads into material by drawing one thread at a time
under and over a set of longer threads stretched out on a
LOOM 2 [T] to make by doing this: woven fabric | (fig.,lit) He
wove a fascinating story from a few forgotten inci-
dents. 3 [T+obj+adv/prep] to twist or wind: He wove some
branches together to form a roof. 4 [T] to form by twisting
parts together: to weave a basket | These birds weave their
nests out of sticks and feathers. 5 [(past tense & participle weaved)
+adv/prep;T+obj+adv/prep] to move along or make (one's way)
by turning and changing direction frequently: The cyclist
was weaving in and out between the cars. | He weaved his way
through the crowd. 6 get weaving BrE infml a) to become
busy b) to begin hurriedly
weave² n the way in which a material is woven and the
pattern formed by this: a loose/fine/herringbone weave
weav·er /ˈwiːvər/ n a person whose job is to weave cloth
Weaver, Sigourney /sɪˈɡɒrni||-ɔːr-/ (1949–) a US film
actress whose films include Ghostbusters (1984) and The Ice
Storm (1997), but who is best known for appearing in Alien
(1979) and the later films in that series
web /web/ n 1 a net of thin threads made especially by
SPIDERS to catch insects: The spider was spinning (=making)
a web. | (fig.) a web of deceit (=a set of lies) | (fig.) a complex web
of relationships → see also COBWEB; see picture at SPI-
DER 2 the skin filling the space between the toes of ducks
and some other animals which use their feet for swim-
ming 3 infml the WORLD WIDE WEB
webbed /webd/ adj having a WEB (between the toes): webbed
feet | webbed toes