wear and tear

1. uncountablePhysical 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.

   2 more examples

   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

   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

   Synonyms: tear and wear

   1. uncountableThe process by which such physical damage is caused.

      The structural integrity of the bridge has been compromised by constant wear and tear.

      Synonyms: tear and wear

   2. uncountableThe cost payable for such physical damage.

      2 more examples

      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

      Synonyms: tear and wear

2. figurativelyuncountableDamage 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.

   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

   2 more examples

   [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

   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

3. obsoleteuncountableOne'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

present singular third person wears and tears · participle present wearing and tearing · past wore and tore · participle past worn and torn

1. transitiveTo cause (something) physical damage due to ordinary use over time; to wear (down).

   1 more example

   […] Solomon Skinflint, […] ſeeing a large Sheet of Paper that vvould hold three or four Pair of Hoſe, going to be vvaſted, called out, […] This gives us a freſh Opportunity of ſhevving the good Nature of this injured Gentleman; vvho […] ſaved the Paper; vvhoſe Deſtiny vvas not to be burnt, but vvorn and torn to Pieces, in a Pocket.

   [1757?], G[eorge] S[mith] Green, “Mr. Van Turns Tradesman again; and Setles at Gotham: Is Assailed by the Law: Finds Friends—but Very False Ones: Becomes a Tool of a Party”, in The Life of Mr. John Van, a Clergyman’s Son, of Woody, in Hampshire. […], volume II, London: […] Francis Noble, […]; and John Noble, […], →OCLC, page 53

2. figurativelytransitiveTo cause emotional damage to (someone's feelings, spirit, etc.).

   Murmuring vexes the heart, it vvears and tears the heart, it inrages and inflames the heart, it vvounds and ſtabs the heart; […]

   1669, Thomas Brooks, The Mute Christian under the Smarting Rod: With Soveraign Antidotes against the Most Miserable Exigents: […], London: […] John Hancock, […], →OCLC, page 168

   1 more example

   The chafing and firing of that girl, the wearing and tearing of that girl within her own breast, has been such that I have softly said to her again and again in passing her, 'Five-and-twenty, Tattycoram, five-and-twenty!' I heartily wish she could have gone on counting five-and-twenty day and night, and then it wouldn't have happened.

   [1855 December – 1857 June, Charles Dickens, “Five-and-twenty”, in Little Dorrit, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1857, →OCLC, 1st book (Poverty), page 237

3. intransitiveOf a thing: to be caused physical damage due to ordinary use over time.

   The wives toiled over the rough work clothing: long john underwear, heavy socks, rubber boots, thick flannel shirts, oilskins—it all wore and tore and sprung holes from the hard use of battling storm and bad weather.

   1962, Curtis Bok, Maria: a Tale of the Northeast Coast and of the North Atlantic (A Borzoi Book), New York, N.Y.: Alfred A[braham] Knopf, →OCLC, page 127

   1 more example

   A body moving with misalignment is like trying to put a square peg through movement's circle hole. The pieces do not fit nor work well together; jamming, wearing and tearing each time you move from daily tasks to fitness and sport.

   2016 March, Jason Kelly, “Why We Need to Function”, in The Balanced Body: Move Well—Train Better—Avoid Injury, [Scotts Valley, Calif.]: [CreateSpace], →ISBN, page 19