wear away

/wɛər əˌweɪ/

/wɛə əˈweɪ/

Other forms: wore away; wearing away; wears away

Definitions of wear away

1. verb

   become ground down or deteriorate
   synonyms: eat at, erode, gnaw, gnaw at

   type of:

   crumble, decay, dilapidate

   fall into decay or ruin
2. verb

   diminish, as by friction
   “Erosion wore away the surface”

   synonyms: wear off

   types:

   abrade, abrase, corrade, rub down, rub off

   wear away

   chafe, excoriate

   tear or wear off the skin or make sore by abrading

   rasp

   scrape with a rasp

   type of:

   remove, take, take away, withdraw

   remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract
3. verb

   cut away in small pieces
   synonyms: whittle away, whittle down

   type of:

   damage

   inflict damage upon