wear down

present singular third person wears down · participle present wearing down · past wore down · participle past worn down

1. To cause (someone) physical or mental fatigue.

   The eight hour shift in the mine began to wear Tim down after a few months.

   2 more examples

   (sports) To make the opponent tired after using a strategy while conserving own energy to attack later.

   He tried to wear down the bowlers before lunch so he could attack the bowlers after lunch.

2. To eventually persuade or defeat (someone) through persistent effort.

   At first she refused to buy the kids sweets, but eventually they wore her down.

   1 more example

   Congratulations, you got your shot in You wore me down

   2015 May 12, Rachel Platten, Jon Levine, Scott Jacoby, “Congratulations”, in Fight Song, performed by Rachel Platten

3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see wear, down.