wear the pants

To carry or have on the person as covering, adornment, or protection: wearing a jacket; must wear a seat belt.

To carry or have habitually on the person, especially as an aid: wears glasses.

To display in one's appearance: always wears a smile.

To bear, carry, or maintain in a particular manner: wears her hair long.

To fly or display (colors). Used of a ship, jockey, or knight.

To damage, diminish, erode, or consume by long or hard use, attrition, or exposure. Often used with away, down, or off: rocks worn away by the sea; shoes worn down at the heels.

To produce by constant use, attrition, or exposure: eventually wore hollows in the stone steps.

To bring to a specified condition by long use or attrition: wore the clothes to rags; pebbles worn smooth.

To fatigue, weary, or exhaust: Your incessant criticism has worn my patience.

Nautical To make (a sailing ship) come about with the wind aft.

1. To last under continual or hard use: a fabric that will wear.

2. To last through the passage of time: a friendship that wears well.

To break down or diminish through use or attrition: The rear tires began to wear.

To pass gradually or tediously: The hours wore on.

Nautical To come about with stern to windward.

The act of wearing or the state of being worn; use: The coat has had heavy wear.

Clothing, especially of a particular kind or for a particular use. Often used in combination: rainwear; footwear.

Gradual impairment or diminution resulting from use or attrition.

The ability to withstand impairment from use or attrition: The engine has plenty of wear left.

To make or become unusable through long or heavy use.

To use up or consume gradually.

To exhaust; tire.

Chiefly Southern U.S. To punish by spanking.

To make or become unusable through long or heavy use.

To use up or consume gradually.

To exhaust; tire.

Chiefly Southern U.S. To punish by spanking.

To be weakened or eroded gradually: Her patience is wearing thin.

To become less convincing, acceptable, or popular, as through repeated use: excuses that are wearing thin.