wear and tear en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˌwɛɹ‿ən ˈtɛ(ə)ɹ/ (General-American)
- (General-American) audio
- /ˌwɛəɹ‿ən ˈtɛə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
The noun is derived from wear (“damage caused by use over time”, noun) + and + tear (“damage caused by tearing”, noun). The verb is derived from wear (“to cause gradual deterioration in”, verb) + and + tear (“to rend by pulling apart”, verb), modelled on the noun.
Meanings
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(uncountable) Physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; specifically (accounting, law), as justifying a write-down of the object's value in a set of accounts, or exclusion of compensation for the object under a warranty of quality.
The washing machine flooded the basement due to wear and tear, so Margaret was not eligible to claim compensation from the manufacturer.
The main obstacles to increasing traffic, in fact, are the heavy gradients and sharp curves on the approaches to the Gotthard Tunnel. Wear-and-tear of the track necessitates frequent attention by the civil engineers and possessions are hard to obtain without reducing the throughput of trains.
1962 July, “Beyond the Channel: Switzerland: Increasing Swiss Federal Route Capacities”, in Modern Railways, Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 58:But in the day-time, when the lattice=blinds (now closely shut) were opened, and the light let in, traces were discernible among this finery, of wear and tear and dust, of sun and damp and smoke, and lengthened intervals of want of use and habitation, when such shows and toys of life seem sensitive like life, and waste as men shut up in prison do.
1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “The Fugitives”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 537:
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(uncountable) Physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; specifically (accounting, law), as justifying a write-down of the object's value in a set of accounts, or exclusion of compensation for the object under a warranty of quality. ▸ The process by which such physical damage is caused.
The structural integrity of the bridge has been compromised by constant wear and tear.
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(uncountable) Physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; specifically (accounting, law), as justifying a write-down of the object's value in a set of accounts, or exclusion of compensation for the object under a warranty of quality. ▸ The cost payable for such physical damage.
Firſt, in caſe God ſhall be pleaſed to deliuer the Iland and Caſtle of Ormuz, into the hands of the Perſian by our aide, the moitie of the ſpoile and purchaſe of both to remaine to the Engliſh, the other moitie to the Perſian. […] Fiftly, The Perſian to bee at halfe the ſhips charge for victuall, vvages, vveare and teare, and to furniſh them at his charge vvith ſufficient Povvder and Shot.
1625, [Samuel] Purchas, “Relation of Ormuz, and of the Late Taking thereof by the English and Persians”, in Purchas His Pilgrimes. […], 2nd part, London: […] William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, […], →OCLC, 10th book, § IIII (Relation of the Late Ormuz Businesse, Gathered out of the Iournall of Master Edward Monoxe the Agent for the East Indian Merchants Trading in Persia), page 1794:Upon tvvo hundred tons of goods, therefore, carried by the cheapeſt land-carriage from London to Edinburgh, there muſt be charged the maintenance of a hundred men for three vveeks, and both the maintenance, and, vvhat is nearly equal to the maintenance, the vvear and tear of four hundred horſes as vvell as of fifty great vvaggons. VVhereas upon the ſame quantity of goods carried by vvater, there is to be charged only the maintenance of ſix to eight men, and the vvear and tear of a ſhip of tvvo hundred tons burden, together vvith the ſuperior riſk or the difference of the inſurance betvveen land and vvater-carriage.
1776 March 9, Adam Smith, “That the Division of Labour is Limited by the Extent of the Market”, in An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. […], volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC, book I (Of the Causes of Improvement in the Productive Powers of Labour, […]), pages 22–23:
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(figuratively, uncountable) Damage or deterioration caused to something intangible due to harsh conditions, the passing of time, etc.; also, the process by which such damage or deterioration is caused.
Nay, I doubt whether his [Percy Bysshe Shelley's] delightful Essays and Letters, which deserve to be far more read than they are now, will not resist the wear and tear of time better, and finally come to stand higher, than his poetry.
1881, Matthew Arnold, “Byron”, in Essays in Criticism: Second Series, London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co. […], published November 1888, →OCLC, pages 165–166:[H]e had been driven to commit suicide. Unequal to the wear and tear of daily life, as he had often professed himself to be, and shaken as he no doubt was by the uncertainty and deferred hope he had undergone, it seemed no violently strained misgiving, but only too probable.
1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “Strange News of Uncle Sol”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 253:It vvas th' Inchantment of her Riches, / That made m' apply t' your Croney VVitches, / That in return, vvould pay th' expence, / The VVear-and-tear of Conſcience.
1677 (indicated as 1678), [Samuel Butler], “Canto I”, in Hudibras. The Third and Last Part. […], London: […] Simon Miller, […], →OCLC, page 68:
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(obsolete, uncountable) One's ability to endure harsh conditions; resilience, toughness.
Mr. Thomas Bewick the celebrated wood-engraver, died on Saturday last, at the age of 74; though at so advanced an age, he seemed, from his being strongly built, to have many years' wear and tear in him.
1828 November 15, “Biography”, in The London Literary Gazette; and Journal of the Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences, &c., number 617, London: W. A. Scripps, of the Literary Gazette office, […], →OCLC, page 731, column 3:
Deriveds
Relateds
Synonyms
tear and wear · tear and wear · tear and wear
Translations (32)
lv laika zobs (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · hu elkopás (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · te అరుగుదల (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · da slitage (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · hu kopás (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · nb slitasje (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · is slit (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · cmn 磨損 /磨损 (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · it logoramento (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · fi kuluminen (damage or deterioration caused to something intangible due to harsh conditions, the passing of time, etc.; process by which such damage or deterioration is caused) · it consumo (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · hu amortizáció (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · grc τριβή (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · oc usadura (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · bg износване (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · oc usura (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · de Verschleiß (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · fi kulumiskustannus (cost payable for such physical damage) · oc abenatge (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · la intertrīmentum (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · fa استهلاک (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · fi kuluminen (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · hu elhasználódás (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · es desgaste (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · it usura (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · pl zużycie (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · sw uchakavu (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · fr usure f normale (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · nb slitasje (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · oc usança (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · pt desgaste (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused) · de Abnutzung (physical damage caused to an object due to ordinary use over time; process by which such physical damage is caused)