wear away

wear away

1. To become eroded, dissolved, or stripped away from exposure to some destructive element or force. The enamel on your teeth has worn almost completely away, which is why you've been experiencing so much pain when you eat and drink. Over the course of several centuries, the coastline wore away until the small village was completely consumed by the sea.
2. To erode, dissolve, or strip away something as a result of exposure to some destructive element or force. A noun or pronoun can be used between "wear" and "away." The extreme weather in this area will wear that cheap paint away in a matter of weeks. Rust has completely worn away the underside of the car.
See also: away, wear
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

wear something away

to erode something. The constant rains wore the side of the cathedral away. The flooding wore away the topsail.
See also: away, wear
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

wear away

v.
1. To erode or consume something by long or hard use, attrition, or exposure: The sea is wearing away the rocks. Repeated washings have worn the fabric away. The tough climate wears away at the roof.
2. To be gradually eroded or consumed by long or hard use, attrition, or exposure: The paint on the house is wearing away.
See also: away, wear
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • wear off
  • wear off )
  • wear down
  • wear away at
  • wear away at (someone or something)
  • leach
  • leach away
  • wear through
  • leach out
  • leach out of (something)
References in periodicals archive
"We use different types of materials to protect and not to wear away the sidewalks." For larger buildings, Cohen contracts with private companies while his superintendents keep the home walks clear for the smaller ones.
City sidewalks frozen: what's an owner to do?
- Caroline Douglas by email ZENA SAYS: The colour runs right through the blade, so it won't chip or wear away and they can be sharpened, too.
Sharp idea: Blades in shades; Tricks of the trade
(1,1,1) 17 Juliet Cadzow role, - - - McCredie (4) 18 First class at uni (6) 19 Significant (5) 20 Stone used for hopscotch (6) 22 Scottish inventor (4) 24 Downcast (3) 25 Car's motors (7) 26 Work of fiction (5) 27 Muslim name for God (5) 28 Poetry (5) 29 Fred - - -, former bank boss (7) 30 Normal (5) 31 Muttered remark (5) 2 Brought up (6) 3 Shrewd, wily (6) 4 The light hours (3) 5 Sufficient (5) 6 Salt-water fish (7) 7 Outer rim (4) 8 Sewing device (6) 12 Uncluttered, plain (5) 13 Trickles through slowly (5) 14 Intended (5) 15 Actor, - - - Pettifer (5) 16 Campers' homes (5) 18 Soft and fluffy (5) 19 Peppermint oil ingredient (7) 21 Birds of prey (6) 22 Broadens (6) 23 Annoyed for fun (6) 25 Wear away by natural forces (5) 26 Lengthy epic (4) 28 By way of (3)
1 QUICKSTART
The experts claimed that wines like Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Riesling are more likely to wear away protective tooth enamel than reds like Rioja and Merlot.
White wine can rot your teeth
The polymer/ceramic-based coating contains no TBT (tributyl tin) or VOCs and does not ablate or wear away.
Xiom introduces marine protective coating
Conversation and practice will wear away feelings of embarrassment, awkwardness and guilt.
Dr Miriam: RUSTY AT ROMANCE
The overflow will not only splash up against the siding but also wear away the granule layer on the shingles below and cause them to fail prematurely.
Gutter to nowhere
In this process, chemical reactions wear away rock.
Slime hunters: scientists brave deadly gases and flesh-burning acid to discover what's hidden in a cave in Mexico
PREDICT: Will steel corrode (wear away) more in fresh water or saltwater?
Saltwater wreck: what effect does seawater have on shipwrecks?
n The sole tips of stiletto heels will wear away quickly: prevent long-term damage to the heel itself, by asking your local cobbler to replace the rubber tips regularly.
These boots were made for walking ... so look after them
But where are the savings in a drawer full of misshapen, blister-inducing cotton socks one wear away from dust rags?
The science behind your socks