English verb: wear away | |||
1. | wear away (contact) cut away in small pieces | ||
Synonyms | whittle away, whittle down | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | damage | ||
2. | wear away (contact) diminish, as by friction | ||
Samples | Erosion wore away the surface. | ||
Synonyms | wear off | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | remove, take, take away, withdraw | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | abrade, abrase, corrade, rub down, rub off | ||
3. | wear away (change) become ground down or deteriorate | ||
Samples | Her confidence eroded. | ||
Synonyms | eat at, erode, gnaw, gnaw at | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | crumble, decay, dilapidate | ||